


Sense Of Self

by Shade_Penn1



Category: Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman
Genre: Alternate Reality, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Crossdressing, F/F, F/M, One-Sided Relationship, Rule 63
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2012-02-26
Updated: 2012-09-15
Packaged: 2017-10-31 18:01:55
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 50,196
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/346892
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Shade_Penn1/pseuds/Shade_Penn1
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A reinvention of the series with how things might work out in the series if Clark was a girl named Caroline. Superman though, still exists, 'he's' just not what 'he' appears to be to others. </p><p>This is how the series would go if the blinders that Clark wore were torn off.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

The air in Metropolis’ early morning was chilly but calm as the rush hour had yet to commence, but one yellow taxi made a wide U-turn, riding over the edge of a sidewalk that sent the pedestrians walking along the concrete scattering out of the way, shooting dirty looks at the transportation vehicle as it stopped sharply in front of a building with a large globe over the entrance, the newspaper known as the Daily Planet.

A young man with a beard and wearing a woolen cap on his head and carrying a videotape emerged from the cab and kicked the door shut behind him as he quickly headed inside the building. The newsroom was quiet, but not empty as the man headed for a particular desk, where he took off his jacket and after reaching for a pair of scissors and carefully reached under his shirt to snip off strips of binding cloth. He sighed in relief and wiggled his shoulders disposing of the cloth.

Young copy boy and gopher, Jimmy Olsen approached the ‘man.’ “You’re in early.” He remarked and looked at the ‘man’ from different angles. “I like the beard…but the moustache isn’t working for me,” he teased, “want me to do it?”

The bearded ‘man’ nodded in resignation and squeezed ‘his’ eyes shut tightly and Jimmy pulled off the fake facial hair to reveal the face of a lovely young woman, whose face screwed up in pain before it seemed to pass and held up the video tape triumphantly. “I nailed ‘em cold!”

“All right! Jimmy congratulated her and took the video tape as the woman removed her cap and fluffed up her shoulder-length hair. His attention was drawn over to the window and as he looked out it, he looked back incredulously. “Uh, you’re cab is being towed.”

\---------------------------------------------------------

'Million Dollar Car Theft Ring Exposed' was the headline for the Daily Planet’s morning edition for the following day, the exclusive having been credited to Lois Lane. 

And following the scoop, all the televisions and other newspapers had caught onto the story as well. “A stolen car ring was smashed by a brilliant raid…” A newscaster was reporting from the television screen in the lively newsroom, a sharp contrast to the early morning of the previous day. 

Another sharp contrast to the previous day was Lois Lane, who the previous day had been in grubby clothing and wearing a fake beard, was now in a tailored suit and high heels, her dark brown hair and eyes shining as she accepted the congratulations and praise of her co-workers. “Oh come one you guys, it was nothing, really.” She said modestly, but the beaming smile that lit up her face said otherwise. 

“I still can’t believe they thought you were a boy.” Jimmy said shaking his head in amazement. 

“Well, the moustache helped, and thanks for teaching me how to boost a car.” Lois replied.

Jimmy raised his coffee mug into the air. “To Lois Lane, still going where no reporter has gone before!” he joked and the other staff members clapped and laughed until the voice of the editor-in-chief cut through the air.

“Hey, hey, hey!” Turn that thing off.” Perry White instructed someone with a gesture toward the television. “Now Jimmy, don’t encourage her, she’s got a head as big as the Metro Dome as it is!” he said gruffly, but he gave Lois a smile reserved just for her.

“Well it’s nice to know I’m appreciated here, Chief.” She replied saucily. 

“What do you expect…garlands thrown at your feet?” Perry questioned.

“No.” Lois replied with a laugh. “But I would like a raise.” She said seriously.

“Well I’d like a 145 foot triple-masted schooner with a teak interior but hey, Lois…” Perry said showing the inside of his empty pockets. “Times are tough.” He added and the staff members laughed as he looked around at the partier in his newsroom. “What’s everybody standing around for? This I a newspaper, not Happy Hour at Buckingham Palace.” He said firmly.

Jimmy followed his boss across the newsroom. “Chief, I got an angle on the mini-mall murders. Chief, I figure there was blood on the burritos because-check this out-they were eating, right, and the perpetrators come-”

Perry stopped at the door to his office and turned to face the enthusiastic copy boy. “Did you finish those obituaries?” he questioned and the boy’s expression fell. “Jimmy, never underestimate the need for a good obituary.” He said and went into his office, closing the door behind him.

“I can think of one right now.” Jimmy muttered as he turned away and headed over to Lois’ desk and angrily tossed his notebook down and the woman made a face at him before he spotted the pink message pad on her computer. “Whoa, I guess you finally hit the big time!”

Lois turned back to her work and didn’t look up. “Huh?”

“This time, Lex Luthor’s personal assistant-” Jimmy started with a grin as he snatched the paper away and danced back-“returned your call.” He finished in a rush as Lois snatched it back from him and she looked at it in disappointment before crumpling it up. “Give it up, Lois, Luthor never gives one-on-one interviews.”

Lois looked at him, a determined gleam in her eye. “Well, he’s never met Lois Lane before.”

\-----------------------------------------------

The scene the young woman was exposed to was the sound of sirens wailing and people hurried across the street, people honking the horns of their cars and the young woman’s battered suit case marked C.K swung out slightly in front of her as she smelled the aroma of hot dogs and the exhaust fumes of the cars, but her attention was focused on the large globe of the building she was in front of.

An insistent honking drew her attention caught her attention as a city bus careened down the avenue, and she figured something was, but a feeling of urgency formed in her mind as she saw the light turn red and people on the side walk began moving onto the crosswalk without taking notice of the bus.

She didn’t know what to do, but she gathered her resolve to stop the people from getting hurt. The young woman abandoned her suitcase as she sprinted into the street to stand right in front of the incoming bus’ path. She caught the sigh of the driver’s horror-stricken face before throwing his arms in front of him to brace for impact.

The bus came to an abrupt halt and the young woman looked around fearfully, and while she hoped no one had noticed, she saw that another woman had noticed and was staring at her in stunned silence. “She…she…” she stuttered, pointing at the dark-haired woman as she tried to get someone’s attention.

The young woman looked around again, this time an anxious look in her eyes, but luckily no one was paying attention to the stuttering woman and as her heart pounded in her ears, the young woman dashed back over to the side walk, grabbing her suitcase and melted into the crowd of people.

When no one came after her, she sighed in relief.

Back over by the bus, the stuttering woman looked down at the handprint imbedded in the grill with a look of shock.

\----------------------------------------------------

A middle-aged man wearing ragged and mismatched clothing came out of the elevator and into the Daily Planet newsroom, the man was filthy and he smelled of an assortment of things no one wanted to know; he looked around the newsroom. “Lois Lane? Lois Lane?” The man called in an urgent voice as he moved through the crowd of people, the woman being called looked up at the sound of her name. “Lois Lane!” he said spotting her and showed a paper-wrapped parcel in one hand. “It’s going to explode!” he shouted at her and the woman’s eyes widened as she stood up. 

“He’s got a bomb!” Someone cried with alarm.

“It’s not a bomb.” Jimmy retorted derisively.

“It’s my credentials.” The man announced and two security guards from the lobby came running in and took the man by the arms, but the man managed to make it over to Lois.

“I’m sorry, sir.” One of the guards said to the chief, who was emerging from his office. “He ran right past me.”

“You don’t understand.” The ragged-looking man said handing the parcel to Lois. “Miss Lane, the Messenger is going to explode! Please, Miss Lane, you must tell my story!”

“We’ve had trouble with him before.” One guard said hauling the man away.

“No, please!” The man cried. “You’ve got to believe me!”

“No, wait a minute, don’t!” Lois called out to the security guards.

“He’s just a box short of a variety pack.” The other guard said not paying attention to the woman.

“Please, the space program is doomed!” The man cried once again as he was hauled out of the newsroom and Lois looked down at the package with a slight frown on her face.

While she had no inclination to believe the man, the urgency and desperation in his voice piqued her curiosity and a short while later she was sitting at her desk, the object covered in crumpled pieces of paper that she had flattened out. The papers were all different in size with scribbled notes on them, but her attention was diverted to the television as the Messenger was mentioned on it.

“The transport vehicle Messenger , piloted by Commander Jack Letterman and carrying the final propulsion module for Space Station Prometheus, is scheduled for lift-off Friday at 9:00 a.m. Dr. Toni Baines reminds us that timing is crucial.” 

The scene changed to show a young blonde woman, the aforementioned doctor. “Unless all the modules are in place with the next few weeks, Space Station Prometheus will lose its orbit and fall back into the Earth’s atmosphere. That kind of occurrence will surely spell the end of any future projects, and the space program as a whole.”

The newscaster’s voice came back. “A series of delays and launch failures have already put EPRAD’s back on the wall.”

Lois looked back at the papers on her desk, her mind whirling as she thought about if the ragged man was right and the Messenger was doomed to explode, then the entire space program was in jeopardy. As she turned, some of the papers went flying off her desk and she sighed before getting on her knees to retrieve them.

A redheaded woman moved into the room, an expensive coat hanging languorously from one hand and she was wearing an outfit that revealed plenty of her tanned skin. “Morning, Lois,” she said smoothly, her voice a deep timbre, “on your hands and knees again I see.”

A blond man laughed as Lois collected the papers and stood, grimacing at the woman. “Isn’t it a bit early for you to be in, Cat?” she retorted. “I thought ladies like you only work nights?” Then she glared over at the blond. “And what exactly is so funny Steve?”

Cat laughed just as ‘Steve’ quieted down, but there was a grin on his face. “Part of my job as a society columnist…”

“Mud-slinging rumor monger.” Lois interjected harshly.

“…is to maintain an active social life.” Cat continued and paused. “You remember what that’s like…or do you?” She laughed contemptuously before departing, the sleeve of her fur coat slapping Lois in the face lightly. 

Lois grimaced again as she thought about how women like Cat made it hard for other women to be seen as equals to men. She noticed Jimmy walk up behind her and needed to vent. “What do men see in her anyway?” she questioned grumpily. “Don’t they know she’s just using them for another notch on her garter belt?”

“Pathetic!” Jimmy agreed before a considering expression crossed his face. “Have you actually seen this garter belt?”

Lois gave the boy a disgusted look before smacking him in the chest.

\--------------------------------------------------------

The young woman who’d stopped the bus had waited a little while before walking into the building, there was a chance she might have been recognized from earlier and she got the directions to Perry White’s office. Her first impression of the man was that he seemed a little disorganized as he rifled through the loose sheets on his desk with a distracted expression on his face. “So you are Miss, uh…”

“Kent, Caroline Kent.” The young woman replied quickly.

Perry found the resume under another sheet of paper. “Ah yes, Kent. Oh, Professor Carlton called me about you; boy, I haven’t seen him in I don’t know…Let’s see here.” He said remembering the purpose of the appointment. “Editor, Smallville Press.” He read slowly, his smile faltering. “Where is that, that’s in…?”

“Kansas.”

“Kansas.” Perry repeated, his voice kept carefully neutral when the phone rang with a shrill sound. “Oh, just a minute please.” He apologized as he reached and grabbed the receiver. “Yeah…oh, tell him to keep his pants on! If Carlini’s can’t deliver on time, just find a place who can!” he hollered into the mouth piece before hanging it up. “Would you believe that I had to buy a blood pressure monitor last week? He asked Caroline as he held two fingers against the side of his neck.

“Paava leaves.” She offered.

“I beg your pardon?” Perry questioned blankly.

“The Yolngu tribe in New Guinea eat paava leaves to relieve stress, it puts them in a meditative state. Maybe you should try some.” Caroline suggested helpfully as a woman entered the office and laid some papers on the cluttered desk before swiftly leaving.

“Oh, well, I see you’ve done some traveling.” Perry observed as the leaves suggested went through his head. Was this girl really saying he should eat leaves?

“Well this is my first trip to Metropolis.” Caroline clarified. “I have some samples of my work.” She said as she remembered she’d brought some papers with her and took them out of her pack.

“Oh good, good, let’s take a look.” Perry said agreeably as he accepted the papers. “The Borneo Gazette.” He read slowly as a knot formed in his stomach. “Mating rituals of the knob-tailed gecko?” he sighed as he looked at the hopeful young woman. “Kent, I’m sure that these are fascinating stories, but you see, this is the Daily Planet! We’re the greatest newspaper in the whole world! Now our people are dedicated servants of the Fourth Estate who routinely handle matters of international significance.”

The door swung open as a dark-haired young woman burst in. “All right, Chief, I fixed the horn on your golf cart.” He announced happily.

“Not now, Jimmy.” Perry said abruptly.

“The tone’s still off.” The boy continued apologetically.

“Jimmy, not now!” Perry shouted and the boy didn’t stick around any longer. “Now, as I was, uh, saying you can’t just walk in here and expect…”

“Chief!” Another young woman called and burst into the office. “I think there’s a story here and we should have this guy checked out, you know, the crazy one from this morning? He was an engineer at EPRAD for ten years...”

“Lois!” Perry shouted. “Can’t you see I’m in the middle of something here?” he questioned plainly as Caroline rose to her feet to politely greet the woman.

“Oh.” The other woman said not sounding the least bit apologetic and she barely even glanced at Caroline before looking at the editor in expectant impatience.

“Lois Lane, Caroline Kent.” Perry said.

“Nice to meet you.” Lois said giving the other woman a glance but not really paying her any attention as she looked back at her boss. “Anyway, he worked on the Messenger…”

Caroline, who was about to offer some form of polite greeting didn’t have any time to speak as the motor mouth beside her kept on talking in a rapid pace. She had never been overly annoyed with anyone before, but this woman’s rudeness was getting her to that level. She used the hand that she was going to offer to Lois to adjust her glasses.

“Wait, wait, wait a minute!” Perry shouted holding up a hand to silence anymore words. “What happened to that mood pieve I gave you about the razing of that old theatre on Forty-Second Street?”

“I wasn’t in the mood.” Lois retorted sarcastically.

“You weren’t in the mood.” Perry repeated with disgust. “Now look, Lois, you can’t come in here and tell me you’re not in the…”

Caroline saw that Lois was no longer paying attention and looked to see the golf-fixer making faces at the glass window of the office, mimicking a phone call. “I gotta go, I’ll catch you later!” she said swiftly leaving the office.

“I tell you, if that woman wasn’t the best damned investigative reporter I’ve ever seen, I…!” Perry put his fingers against his neck again and turned his attention back to the other woman still in the room. “Look Kent, I’m sure that you’re an intelligent woman, but you can’t just walk in here with this kind of resume and expect to get a job.”

“Mr. White, I know I lack experience,” Caroline said earnestly, “but I’m a good writer-”

“Kent.”

“-and a hard worker, and I-”

“Kent.” Perry interrupted her firmly. “I just don’t have anything for you.”

Caroline felt her face fall. “Well thank you sir, I appreciate you taking the time to see me.” She said politely and tried to keep the dejection out of her voice.

“Okay,” Perry said with a friendly smile.

Caroline shook the man’s hand, picked up her pack, and walked out of the office. 

Perry smiled until the woman had turned away and stared at his throbbing hand with a grimace, looking in the direction the young woman had gone in with wide eyes.

\--------------------------------------------------------

Caroline, or Carrie as she was known to her family, had found a room at the Hotel Apollo. It was a seedy place, but it was all she could afford until she got herself a job. She put down her suitcase in the bare room, looking around at the grimy walls, cheap furniture, and the payphone on the wall. From the next door she could hear rock music playing loudly.

She felt the ache of homesickness start to settle in her stomach as she thought about her life in Smallville. She’d never done typical‘girl stuff’ that most people thought of. Well, she did do that, but mostly she had been out in the field helping her dad with the stubborn tractor, or carrying the hay from into the barn.

She was an independent woman, and that’s why she felt she needed to get away from the farm. She had no thoughts of settling down, who’d want her anyway? The thought of being a housewife made her cringe, and while she found children to be cute in their own way, she never given any real thought of having any of her own.

After all, who’d wanna have kids with her?

Carrie felt the ache get stronger and decided to call her parents, even if she just wanting to hear their voices to cheer her up. 

“You want me to wire you some cash?” her father offered right away.

“No, I’m fine.” Carrie replied half-heartedly, but the thought of running out of money made her cringe. 

“How’d the interview go?” her mother asked eagerly.

“Not so good, but something’ll turn up I’m sure.” Carrie replied, trying to keep her voice reassuring, but it fell flat.

“Nyeah, I think I should wire you some cash.” Jonathan put in.

“I’m fine, dad.”

“You’re still going to make it home on Friday?” Martha questioned.

“What, and miss your home cooking?” Carrie asked with forced cheer that even sounded deceptively genuine in her own ears.

“What home cooking?” Jonathan snorted. “I haven’t had a home cooked mean in…”

“Carrie, you’re being careful, aren’t you?” Martha asked as she cut off her husband’s complaint.

“Sure, other than the bus incident this morning, but that-”

“Bus incident? Carrie…” Martha began, her happy tone fading from her voice.

“Metropolis isn’t the Outback, you know.” Her father warned. “People in the city are always looking to make a quick buck. If they find out about you, they’ll put you in a laboratory, and…”

“…’and dissect you like a frog’. I know, dad. Believe me, I’m trying my best to be like everybody else here.” Carrie finished.

“Well, I’ll get that cash out to you tonight.” Her father said.

“Dad…” Carrie stopped her refusal when she realized that once ran out of money that was it for this trip. “I’ll pay you back, I promise. Okay, I’ll talk to you guys soon.”

“Bye honey.” Her mother said gently.

Carrie hung up the phone, feeling an oddly empty hole in her chest. 

The following day though she’d gotten a copy of the Daily Planet to look in the classified section for a job and she was sidetracked by an article about Russia on the front page. She could spare a few minutes of looking for a job. 

The light flickered above her head and buzzed, distracting the woman as her brow creased in annoyance. She tossed the newspaper aside and with no effort she willed herself to levitate, floating off the bed toward the light bulb and gave it a tighten, the temperature not affecting her in anyway. 

The light stopped flickering and she floated back down to the bed, having turned to lie on her back while she had been in the air and stared up at the grimy ceiling. She had these amazing powers and she couldn’t use them in any way to help her. 

Carrie got off the bed and began pacing, her long black waves of hair swishing around her as she managed to make it back and forth to each wall in two steps. Two more steps and she walked right up the wall, in actuality it was her levitation. She floated back down to the bed and laid down, her thoughts whirling. 

She didn’t want to admit that despite her need for independence, she couldn’t cut it in the real world.

\------------------------------------------------------

Carrie arrived to Forty-Second Street to find it crowded the next morning, and she looked around tentatively. She thought about how the rather rude woman from the Daily Planet had said she wasn’t ‘in the mood’ to do the story and decided that if she did it, then maybe it would at least get her foot in the door. 

She’d spotted the building quickly enough as the people in their construction hat were coming in and out of the Old Sarah Bernhardt Theatre, setting up equipment and maneuvering a wrecking place into place. She saw a group of elderly, but determined looking protestors. “Keep the theatre on the spot; we don’t need a parking lot!”

And old lady wandered around, her expression worried. “Where’s Beatrice? Bea, Bea?”

Carrie took a quick look around her, but she saw that no one was paying attention to her with what was happening in front of them. She lowered her glasses and looked over the top of them, right through the brick wall of the old theatre. She saw a woman standing on the stage, a boa around her neck, and an enormous floppy hat on her head, surrounded by debris; fallen-down columns, empty seats, old props and racks of costumes all along the stage.

“After the dark death of autumn, and the cold barren winter, how I wish this rock might be taken from my heart.” She cried, her voice strong and clear.

“Okay, Bill, start her up!” A loud voice shouted near Carrie and she saw that the construction workers were ready to destroy the theatre. She glanced around before staring intently at the machine, her heat vision burning through some of the wiring to short-circuit it, the protestors cheering.

Carrie fixed her glasses and slipped inside the old theatre, and the woman didn’t notice her at first, Carrie listened to the heartfelt passion in the woman’s voice. “Oh, for the days of my childhood, back when my soul was pure. I slept right here in this nursery, looking out at the orchard from this very room, and every morning I awoke with such joy in my heart. My orchard is just the same as it was then. Nothing is different. All of it, all of it, dressed in white. My lovely orchard.”

Carrie applauded the actress, feeling that this was the only appropriate response, and her claps made the actress looked out at her.

“Who’s there?”

“Just…a fan.”

“I’m not leaving.” The actress said. “Not until I finish.”

Carrie smiled. “Alright. Do you mind if I watch? I always loved this play.”

“You know it?” The actress questioned.

“The Cherry Orchard. Anton Chekhov.” Carrie replied.

The actress looked pleased at this. “His finest, don’t you think?”

“Definitely.” Carrie replied with a genuine smile.

The actress smile back wistfully. “They don’t understand. Theatre is more than bricks and   
mortar.” She said looking around the large hall. “It’s drama and passion, and mystery, and comedy, and life!” she learned at the young woman yearningly. “Don’t make me go. I’m not ready.”

“We have some time.” Carrie assured the actress.

“You understand. I just want to say goodbye.”

Carrie knew right then that she had found her mood piece and watched as actress continued.  
“…all of it dressed in white. My lovely orchard.”

And later at her hotel room, Carrie looked over all her research and the notes she’d taken from the interview Beatrice had given her at the theatre. Her fingers flew over the laptop keys, the words pouring out of her, and soon the laptop began beeping, smoke starting to blow up from it.  
Carrie blew the smoke away impatiently and when she’d finished her article, her lips curved into a smile, a deep sense of satisfaction forming in her chest. “Beatrice was eighteen when she made her debut. Warren G. Harding was President, the Unknown Soldier was interred at Arlington, and Babe Ruth was sold to the Yankees…”

And as she later sat in the chair in Perry White’s office, the man’s southern accent becoming more pronounced as he finished reading the article. “…She came to say goodbye, as well all must, to the past, and to a life and a place that soon would only exist in bittersweet memory.” He smiled broadly at Carrie.

“Smooth.” Jimmy said admiringly as he and Lois stood outside the office door, having been spellbound by the words written.

Lois straightened up, and while the paper had a profound effect on her, she refused to let it show. “Uh, yeah, if you like that sort of thing.” She said disparagingly.

“You know Kent, there’s only one attribute I value more than experience, and that initiative.” Perry said looking the woman straight in the eye. “Caroline Kent, welcome to the Daily Planet!” he said extending his hand to her and she was about to accept it when he remembered what had happened the last time she shook his hand. “Oops!” he clasped Carrie’s wrist and patted her hand instead of shaking it.

Carrie’s brief moment of triumph was interrupted when someone flung the door open. “The space shuttle’s on fire!” A staff member cried in distress.

“Lois, get over here.” Someone else shouted.

“Turn it up!”

“Let’s take a look.” Perry said, including Carrie in the group. They headed toward the newsroom and joined the crowd gathered around the television monitor. The Messenger shuttle was still on the launch pad, it’s rockets flaring and spitting out fire.

“…this fast breaking story, we have a reporter on the scene and we’re trying to establish contact with her. Carmen Alvardo, cam you hear me? She’s on the launching pad right now. Carmen?”  
The Messenger, just then, exploded into a fireball.

The reporter looked directly into the camera. “Wesley, you’ve just seen what we’ve seen here, a terrible tragedy is unfolding, there seems to be something…”

Lois stared at the fiery scene with a stricken look on her face. “I knew there was something to Platt’s story, I knew it.” 

“Now Lois, just because one madman’s prediction came true doesn’t mean that’s there’s a conspiracy to sabotage the entire space program.” Perry said reasonably.

“But with more than a hundred columnists going up on the next launch, are you willing to take that chance?” Lois asked him.

While Carrie really didn’t care much for the rude woman, she did see that the tragedy affected her greatly, and also saw the determined glint in her eye. And seeing as Perry saw it too, the next moment Lois was laying out her game plan. 

“I’ll need a task force; I can’t cover this story alone.”

“You can have Jimmy.” Perry offered.

“Chief, we’re talking about a space program.” Lois said dryly.

“Okay, take Kent.”

“Kent?” Lois questioned incredulously.

“Kent.” Perry confirmed.

“What about Myerson?” Lois asked hopefully.

“He’s busy.”

“Burns?”

“Budapest.”

“Forget Kent.” Lois declared.

“Uh-uh.” Perry said firmly. “She’s a good woman.”

“Kent is a hack from Smallville, I couldn’t make that name up!” Lois snorted.

“Kent, or nobody.”

“…Fine. Don’t ever say that I’m not a team player.” Lois said before stalking out of the office and walked over to the other woman. “Let’s hit it.” She said swatting her arm briskly as she strode toward her desk.

Carrie, after hesitating momentarily, put down the papers she was holding and hurried to catch up to Lois. “Mind if I ask where we’re going?”

“To interview Samuel Platt. He’s convinced the Messenger was sabotaged; I’ll brief you on the way.” Lois said grabbing her coat and bag from her desk, and Carrie quickly grabbed her own jacket. “And let’s get something straight, I did not work my buns off to become an investigative reporter for the Daily Planet just to baby-sit some hack from Nowheresville! And another thing,” she said pausing for breath and turned to face Carrie as soon as they got into the elevator, “you are not working with me, you are working for me. I call the shots, I ask the questions. You are the low woman, I am top banana, and that’s the way I like it. Comprende?”

Carrie really didn’t care for the other woman's opinion of her, but no one called her a hack. “Are you done yet?” she asked blandly, causing Lois to huff and give her a scornful look. 

\------------------------------------------------------------

Carrie looked up at the old condemned building, but this was the address that Lois had said was where Platt was, so she wasn’t complaining. Out loud anyway.

Lois walked toward the only door and banged on it. “Dr. Platt?” she called out. “Dr. Platt, it’s Lois Lane.”

The door opened a fraction and the terrified face of Dr. Platt peered out, crowbar in one hand. He lowered it when he saw Lois and opened the door wider to let them both in.

As he led them inside, Dr. Platt began rambling. “And they said I was crazy, but wouldn’t you be after the drugs? I mean, they drugged me after I submitted my report to Dr. Baines.”

Lois looked around the dingy area before focusing on the man. “Dr. Platt, how could the Messenger have been sabotaged? In order to bypass security, you…unless the orders came from high up.”

“Well, you see, under extreme temperature conditions the particle isolators were in danger of shutting down, so in order to prevent this we installed heating devices. But when I broke into one of the off-limit labs, I discovered that the heating devices had been replaced…by cooling systems.” He said with a meaningful look at Lois, but it was Carrie who caught on first.

“To freeze the ion particles?” she questioned.

“Of course.” Dr. Platt said quickly as he turned to the other woman while Lois shot Carrie a surprised look. “And emit fumes, and the Messenger would blow up. I mean, it’s all in my report.”

“What report?” Lois questioned taking control of the interview.

“Well, the report that I gave Dr. Baines.”

“Do you have a copy of this report?” Lois questioned.

“Ha! What kind of scientist would I be if I didn’t keep report?” Platt said as he began rummaging around before he fished a paper out of a tennis shoe, pulling out one paper after another.

Lois exchanged a glance with Carrie while not looking very hopeful. “Ah, Dr. Platt, perhaps you could gather you report together some other time, I’ll have somebody come by and pick it up.” She said before finding a picture of a much cleaner Dr. Platt, an attractive woman, and a laughing child. 

“My wife.” Dr. Platt explained as he saw her looking at the picture. “We’d planned to live together on the Prometheus.” He added sadly.

“Where’s your family now?”

“Gone. They left when…well, it’s all for the best now.” he finished gruffly.

Carrie saw Lois’ face soften. “Dr. Platt, who would want to sabotage Space Station Prometheus?” she asked gently.

“I don’t know. See, the microgravity laboratory on the Prometheus could be the key to curing hundreds of diseases here on Earth.” Dr. Platt explained. “In a zero-gravity environment we can actually separate the proteins that form viruses. So many children with crippling diseases…” his voice trailed off as he looked back at the photo. “…my daughter.” He added in a whisper. “We could cure them!” he raised his voice soulfully as he looked sadly at the two reporters.

“I think you and I should pay Dr. Baines a visit.” Lois said quietly to Carrie, and the two left Dr. Platt to his own devices, and crowbar, as they both took the Daily Planet van to EPRAD, where they met with Dr. Antoinette Baines, a beautiful but hard faced woman with blonde hair and glimmering eyes. 

“Naturally, we’re all still in a state of shock. I don’t suppose I have to tell you what a catastrophe this explosion was. Captain Letterman was one of our best. His three kids, his wife Anna…”

“Dr. Baines, what’s being done to investigate the explosion?” Lois questioned in a business-like tone.

“Well, we won’t know anything until we’ve examined the burned wreckage. We’re in the process of moving it to a hangar right now for inspection.” Dr. Baines explained.

“Could we take a look at it?” Lois questioned.

“Sorry, no press allowed.”

“No exceptions?” Carrie asked tilting her head as she looked right at Dr. Baines.

The blonde looked into her sky blue eyes and she gave her an appraising look, for she smiled and rephrased what she’d already spoken. “I’ll see what I can do.”

“Great.” Carrie replied flashing a quick smile.

Lois stopped herself from rolling her eyes and asking the blonde what was so appealing about the farm girl. “On the subject of Dr. Samuel Platt…”

“Oh, I have his file right here.” Dr. Baines said immediately and turned to get it, handing it over without even looking to check if it even was the file. “A real waste of talent. Seems building the space station and his divorce finally got to him. He started drinking; taking drugs…he went from bad to worse. We kept him as long as we could, but when he set fire to one of the laboratories we had to let him go.” 

“Dr. Platt said he submitted a report to you, something about coolant devices installed to-” Lois question was cut short.

“Coolants?” Dr. Baines furrowed her brow for a moment. “No, I don’t recall any report. I could check my records.” She offered.

“Could you? And, give us a call?” Lois asked producing a business card and handed it to Dr. Baines.

“Certainly, I’d be glad to help.” The blonde eyed Carrie and her voice softened. “Let me know if I can be of any further assistance.”

“Thank you.” Carrie acknowledged while she flashed another smile, and when the walk back the van was in silence until Carrie decided to break it. “She seemed cooperative.”

“I don’t trust her.” Lois said.

“She’s young, for a woman in her position.” Carrie added thoughtfully.

“How typical.” Lois said scathingly.

Carrie raised a brow. “Excuse me?”

“One attractive woman eyes you up and you act like such a guy!” Lois snapped. 

Carrie rolled her eyes and kept herself from sighing in irritation. “I do not act like a guy.” She said firmly.

\------------------------------------------------------

Once Carrie arrived back at the Planet, Perry had assigned Jimmy to show her around, and she could honestly say that she enjoyed his company far more than Lois’. “We have different sections, just like the paper has different sections.” He explained. “Society, Sports, Entertainment…come here.” Carrie followed him around and wondered how long it was going to take to get used to the bustle of the room. 

Over by the coffee pot, Steve Lombard let out a low wolf-whistle at the dark-haired woman following Jimmy around. “Who’s the new tight end?”

Lois grimaced as she looked at him in disgust. “Why don’t you throw your usual forward pass and find out?” she questioned putting a teaspoon of honey into her coffee. “And I here I thought this one was plain enough to avoid your ‘attention.’”

Steve chuckled as he looked at the woman more closely. “Please, if she lost the glasses and dressed better, she’d be a knock out.” He said appreciatively and when the dark-haired woman walked over, he smoothed back his hair before moving into her path.

“Ah, excuse me.” Carrie said politely as she gestured to the coffee pot behind him.

“Steve Lombard.” He said in a throaty voice. “But people call me the Slinger.” He added taking her hand and was about to kiss it when Carrie pulled it away awkwardly.

“Oh yeah, you’re the sports guy; I’ve read your reviews.” She replied.

“Oh, then my reputation precedes me.” Steve said smirking.

“Among other things.” Lois muttered from the file cabinet nearby where she was unobtrusively listening and watching their exchange.

Steve ignored the jab and once again took a hold of Carrie’s hand. “You know, I’ve lived in Metropolis my whole life, I’d be happy to show you around.”

“Ah, that’s very nice of you Mr. Lombard.” Carrie said slowly, and while she was flattered, this advanced seemed a bit too…rehearsed to be genuine.

“Steve!” The blond man hissed. 

“Ah, r-right.” Carrie said nodding, her expression growing slightly alarmed. “Maybe when I get settled in.” she suggested noncommittally, trying to keep any nervousness out of her voice.

The blond man grinned as he let go of Carrie’s hand and patted her shoulder before swaggering away.

Carrie let out a sigh of relief before she was finally able to get to the coffee pot and saw Lois rolling her eyes before she also left. Carrie thought for a moment, her expression almost considerate, but then she shook her head in a sense of self-deprecation. 

\-----------------------------------------------------

Carrie sat down at her new desk, and took off her jacket as Lois was at a nearby desk in the middle of a phone call, her hearing involuntarily picking up the conversation. 

“No Mitchell.” Lois said in a resigned tone. “I’m not mad. If you’ve got the sniffles then you’ve got the sniffles…Yeah that could lead to some complications.” She agreed listlessly into the phone and looked through her address book. “No, don’t call me, I’ll call you.” Lois hung up the phone, her mood decidedly dejected as her eyes landed on the newcomer. 

She was desperate, and while she certainly wasn’t going to go alone, going with another… 'something' was certainly better. She paused at the thought before walking over to the other woman’s desk, sighing heavily to show that she did not want to do this. “I don’t suppose you own a tux.”

“I’m a girl, why would I own a tux?” Carrie asked raising a brow. 

“Because, that man I was going to go with to Lex Luthor’s Ball has the flu.” Lois explained lightly. 

“Why don’t you just go alone then?” Carrie questioned.

“Look, I don’t know how things work in Newheresville, but here, showing up alone to a Ball is worse than not going to one.” Lois replied heatedly. “And that’s why I need you to dress up as a boy for me.”

Carrie frowned. “You insult me, my home, and demand things you have no say to, why on Earth would I help you?”

“Because…because….” For once, Lois was at a loss of what to do, before she grimaced, and swallowed her pride. “Because…I’ll…owe you one.” She muttered.

Carrie looked up, her expression distinctly intrigued. “Oh really? Well, I suppose I could pretend to be a boy, if only for just one night.” She said smirking. “But we’re both agreed that this is not a date, right?”

“Right!” Lois said hurriedly. “Right, definitely not.”

“That’s a relief.” Carrie said looking back at her computer.

Lois now looked indignant, first Dr. Baines, and now this? “And what would be so bad about this being a date?”

Carrie shook her head. ‘Talk about hypocritical.’

\-------------------------------------------------------

After Carrie’s plans for the evening were changed, she had gathered up her things from the Planet, and after renting a tux and buying a wig separately, she slipped into an alley. She was thankful that no one at either store had asked why she was getting those items. She took off her glasses and put them into her jacket pocket and prepared to take off when a homeless man emerged from a hanging blanket.

“Hey lady, got a buck?” he asked, his voice sounding doubtful, but trailed off as he saw that the young woman was floating two feet off the ground.

Carrie turned around in alarm and for a tense moment, she was afraid, but as much as she wanted to get of there, she was never one to abandon someone in need. She didn’t have much money left in her pocket, but it was certainly enough for this homeless man. She reached into her pocket, took out a five dollar bill, and handed it to the man after walking on the air over to him.

“Oh, oh, oh!” The homeless man chuckled. “You must be some kinda angel, sister!” Then the man stared in astonishment as she rose gracefully into the night sky and lazily made a looping motion overheard before vanishing in a whoosh. “Some kind of…angel!” he repeated in amazement.

Carrie swooped past the skyscrapers, a satisfied feeling from helping someone transforming into excitement as she flew all the way back to Smallville. Her mesmerized expression never left her face until her feet landed on the ground and she looked at the old farmhouse and walked up the steps and opened the door. ‘It’s good to be home.’ She thought as her smiling returning full force. 

\--------------------------------------------------------

“Dinner was great mom, thanks.” Carrie said warmly and after having nothing but take-out for dinner, it really was good to eat something home cooked. 

“Thanks, honey.” Martha murmured.

His father grunted in agreement, but he also added, “More than I get these days! Your mother is now an ‘artiste.’” He explained, gesturing to a large, rather severe metal sculpture in the middle of the room, it being all sharp angles, and the silver panes punctured by holes.

“I call it, ‘Too Much, Too Soon, Tortured Heart, Waning Moon.’” Martha said smiling brightly. “What do you think? Too cerebral?” she asked looking a bit unsure.

“No! No, it’s…” Carrie thought for a moment, but as strange as she found the sculpture, her mother had put a lot of work into it. “It’s very imaginative.” She finished. 

“Uh-huh.” Her father agreed giving Carrie a conspiratorial look as he stood up with his dishes.

“So tell me more about this woman you’re going to Lex Luthor’s Ball with.” His mother asked.

Carrie hid her groan, especial with how they had both chuckled about how little difference there would be when she dressed up as a boy for this thing. They hadn’t meant to be hurtful or anything like that she knew, but being reminded of how much like a guy she was starting to annoy her. “Lois is…” she trailed off, but she knew better than to add anything of just how rude the woman was, her parent’s had taught her to mind her manners when talking about others. “Domineering, uncompromising, and the most pig-headed person I’ve met.” She huffed lightly. “But she is driven, I’ll give her that.” She added lightly. ‘And she’s rather annoying.’ She thought privately.

“Have you met anyone?” Martha asked innocently as Jonathan shook his head.

“Mom…” Carrie groaned. 

“What, it’s a perfectly valid question.” Martha replied.

Carrie thought back to the blond at the Planet before shrugging it off. “No, no one.” She answered evenly.

“Uh-huh.” Martha said giving her daughter a look that said she didn’t believe her.

“Thanks for sewing my jacket, mom.” Carrie said standing up and deftly changed the subject.

“You’re welcome honey.” Her mother replied softly.

“That electrical storm over Cleveland was brutal.” Carrie said putting on the jacket.

“Maybe you should take another route.” Martha suggested simply as she lifted her arms for a hug. “See you next week, honey. I love you, take care!”

Carrie returned the gesture and her father walked her out the two of them stood together outside the barn, looking up at the sky. “I forget how beautiful it is here.” She said in contemplation. “The only stars you see in Metropolis are rising around in limos.” She added wryly.

“You’re the one who wanted the rat race.” Jonathan said lightly. “I couldn’t live there, not for a minute!”

Carrie furrowed her brow as she tried to explain her reasons for leaving. “There’s something about the city…the place…everyone going somewhere.”

“Impatient. Just like you.” Jonathan said smiling at the woman and rested hand on her shoulder. “Well I guess you finally found your niche. You can stop living out of that old suitcase.”

“I hope so, dad.” Carrie replied sighing and looked around at her home. “Being in Metropolis, working at the Planet, it’s a dream come true, but…”

“But you still feel like you don’t fit in.” Jonathan said nodding in understanding. 

“I don’t!” Carrie said quickly. “I don’t fit in.” she said and put all her frustration into kicking a rock into orbit. “I have to control myself, all the time, never use my powers because I don’t want to jeopardize my chance to lead a normal life!” 

“Whatever that means.” Jonathan said.

Carrie’s shoulders slumped. “Just…being human, like you and mom.” She said softly. “Living, working, and maybe along the way meeting someone, having a family, though that is still debatably.” She wasn’t totally abject to the idea of what she’d said, but still wanted the option of at least having it.  
“Caroline, we don’t know if that’s possible.” Her father said cautiously. “And you can’t risk anyone finding out about you. If they knew you came from another planet…”

“But I can’t hide forever, dad.” Carrie protested. “There has to be a way that I can be Caroline Kent and still use what I’ve been given to do some good!” she saw the strained look on the her father’s face and knew that this conversation was starting to upset him. She sighed again, this time sadly, as she reached out and gave him a hug.

Jonathan patted the woman on the patted with some reassurance. “You’ll find a way, kid. You’ll find a way.”

\----------------------------------------------------

‘Don’t want to come alone, fate worse than death. Yeah right, if going with an escort was so important to her she could have at least waited.’ Carrie thought annoyed as she and Jimmy walked through the elegant rooms of Lex Luthor’s penthouse, the room full of conversation.

Carrie though was feeling to annoyed to actually admire the place and she was dressed in a tux, had her wig on with special clips on the inside of it to keep it from falling off, and the ‘man-suit’ underneath her clothing kept anyone from seeing something they shouldn’t, and at least her glasses obscured her features, if only a little. “Have you ever met him? Lex Luthor?” she asked, trying and failing to keep her voice pleasant; and another thing she’d worked on was making her voice’s pitch change enough to sound believably male.

“No, but I’ve read all five of his unauthorized biographies!” Jimmy said enthusiastically while ignoring the edge in Carrie’s voice. “Rags to riches wrong side of the track, self-made billionaire, owns dozens of companies, employs thousands of people, Man of the Year every year, has his finger in every pie, but rarely appears in public.” He rambled off, grabbing a drink from a nearby tray. “He won’t give personal interviews. Hey, there he is.” He exclaimed in awe while pointing to the top of the stairs.

A man in his thirties, looking dignified was descending the stairs and smiling graciously at the people he passed and Carrie knew that if this man was Luthor, then that meant Lois was sure to appear soon. She was never all that malicious, but she didn’t like the woman’s attitude and how she made such a big deal of this whole thing. Oh, well, least she got a favor out of this, and unlike her, Carrie had actually kept her word. 

“She’s something, isn’t she?” Jimmy asked shaking his head with a smile as they watched the interaction between Lois and Lex. He caught sight of Carrie’s annoyed expression. 

“She’s something all right.” She muttered.

“Well, least you got a favor, didn’t you?” The boy questioned, trying to see the bright side.

Carrie felt her expression soften a little as she looked down at the boy she was taller than by a scant few inches. “I suppose that’s a victory in some way.” She said before walking over, but when she saw the two move to dance, she had to stop, and kept back a sigh and looked back at Jimmy. “If you talk to her royal pain, tell her that she’s still gonna owe me a favor.”

“She’ll want proof.” Jimmy said holding up his camera and Carrie nodded in resignation. 

“After you show her that, burn it, I don’t want ever be reminded of this.” She said and the boy nodded.

“You got CK.” He said and the woman looked at him in a moment of disbelief before shaking her head and heading back through the way they’d came in. But when she’d made it back to her hotel room, she saw her reflection in the small bathroom mirror and a weird idea began to take root in her mind.

\---------------------------------------------------

When the next morning came, Carrie walked across the street just as Lois was climbing out of a cab. “Morning Lois.” She said with forced cheer.

“Maybe for you. But I’ve been at it for hours.” She retorted. “I went back to EPRAD to follow the truck with the wreckage of the Messenger inside. Thy brought it into this hangar, and I tried to get inside, but you friend, Dr. Baines, threw me out.” She said sourly and added. “By the way, nice picture.” She said derisively.

Carrie smirked. “Well at least I still get that favor since I actually kept my word.”

Before Lois could send out another retort, there was a low rumble from underground. “Hey, there’s a man down there!” Someone shouted as they pointed to the manhole. “Call the fire department!”

As Lois hurried closer, Carrie slipped away and opened up another manhole before going in and someone else shouted, “We need help! People, stand back! There’s a man down there!”

A pair of hands suddenly pushed the man hole cover off as a coughing man was pushed out. “Are you okay?” One of his co-workers asked anxiously as the wailing sirens approached.

The coughing man pointed to a crowd of on-lookers and pointed at a particular face in the crowd. “That woman…that woman saved me, that woman.” He said in astonishment as Lois looked back to see Carrie standing there, looking a little disheveled but clean. “She pulled me out.” The worker said before settling into another coughing fit.

“He’s delirious!” Carrie said to the other woman.

“Obviously!” Lois replied and her face crinkled in distaste. “From now on do what I do and bring a change of clothes to work.” She said taking in the smoke splattered on her clothing before strode toward the revolving doors. 

Carrie let out a sigh of relief as ashes walked into the building and took the elevator, seeing Jimmy just as she got out of it. “Hey CK, burned that photo just like you asked.” He said genially.

“Thanks.” She replied gratefully.

“Hold that eleva-” Jimmy made a face as it closed.

“Where are you off to?” Carrie asked hoping to distract him.

“Lois sent me to pick up that report from Platt; he called this morning, said he hopes we can read it. She also told me to take a copy over to my friends at STAR Labs to analyze.” Jimmy replied and looked at Carrie’s suit. “What happened to your clothes?”

“Don’t ask.” She said simply and gestured to another opening elevator. “See you later.” She said trying to sweep the smoke off her jacket.

“Hey pretty lady.” A male voice said grabbing Carrie’s attention.

“Oh, hi, Steve.” She said with a slight smile. “If you’ll excuse me…”

“No,” he replied petulantly as he clamped a hand down on the woman’s shoulder. “I don’t think I will excuse you! I’ve asked you to have dinner with me two times.” He paused, his head tilting. “Now I’m really one to ask a woman more than twice for…well anything.”

Carrie recalled those two times with perfect clarity as they had been the only time she’d gotten asked out, but she also recalled how the other staff members had told her that this man was something of an over confident womanizer. “I’m sorry, I’ve been really swamped.” She said and her saving grace came when Lois stormed out of the elevator and passed her without a word. “Lois and I-” she tried to move away, but the hand remained on her shoulder.

“Poor Lois, all work and no play.” The blond chuckled.

“Well, if I could take a rain check on that dinner…” Carrie suggested tentatively.

Steve shrugged as he finally pulled his hand away to casually put them into his pants pockets, looking indifferent. “Sure, but…” A distinctively wicked gleam appeared in his eyes. “Don’t wait too long or I’ll wear you down with my other charm.”

Carrie also recalled the fact she been warned about Steve’s chronic habit of pranking people and the fact he’d torment others by throwing a football at them when Perry wasn’t around. “Okay then.” She replied with a smile that was a little more forced than before and backed away.

The blond watched her leave with an appreciative eye. “I love it when they play hard to get.”

Carrie got herself a cup of coffee and found Lois working alone in one of the conference rooms. Her personal opinions on the woman were pushed to the back of her mind as they were being forced to work together on this assignment. “Anything?”

Lois leaned back in her seat. “I must have called fifty ex-employees that worked at EPRAD the same time Platt did. None of them are talking. I don’t know, maybe there’s nothing to talk about.” She said shrugging.

“So what do we do now?” Carrie questioned.

“Well, first we piece together Platt’s report, if that’s possible. Then we try to prove that Dr. Baines got a copy of it, and if there’s any evidence that Platt found the coolant devices and Baines ignored it…I hope you didn’t make dinner plans.” Lois explained.

Carrie shook her head in a negative gesture.

\-------------------------------------------------------

When it was late into the day, the news room was empty save for two reporters, who were hunched over bits of crumpled papers, while trying to put them into an order that made sense. 

“This is impossible.” Lois said sighing. “Nothing matches, no dates…we’re never going to get through this. Oh and I’m starving.” She complained. “Wish I had some good Chinese take-out.”

Carrie rolled her eyes, but she herself felt a bit peckish and figured that even though she clearly didn’t like the woman she could still be courteous. “I know a place.” She said grabbing her jacket. “I’ll be right back.”

“Don’t you know what I want?” 

Carrie paused, if only for a moment, before continuing on. “I’ll bring back an assortment.” She said more to herself than to answer the question.

She didn’t just get Chinese; she got Chinese from Shanghai and got a bit of variety before she flew back around the world to the Daily Planet. 

“That was quick!” Lois said in surprise as the other woman planted the bamboo containers down on the desk.

“I took a short cut.” Carrie replied dryly.

“Still hot!” Lois said brightly as she opened one eagerly and dipped her fingers in to bring a handful to her mouth. “Ooh, this is out of this world!”

Carrie felt the need to roll her eyes again, as she didn’t find what was so amazing about eating take-out as she also began to eat her own meal.

Shortly after though, Lois cracked open a fortune cookie and her face dropped when she saw what it was in. “It’s in Chinese!” she complained and Carrie looked over at it, curious despite herself. “Oh, don’t tell me that you read-”

“A good horse is like a member of the family.” Carrie read cheerfully.

“I hate that! That is not a fortune!” Lois declared and Carrie let out a small smirk before the other woman looked at her strangely. “You are a strange one, Caroline Kent.” She said as she thought back to how the woman had understood what Platt had been talking about and just now.

“Am I?” Carrie asked innocently.

“Yeah, but I think I’ve got you figured out.” Lois said confidently.

“Really?” Carrie questioned flatly.

“Mm-hmm.”

“Didn’t take you very long.” Carrie said with a touch of sarcasm in her voice as she remembered how Lois barely seemed to let her speak.

“Well, it’s my business, looking beyond the external.” Lois returned, pointedly ignoring the sarcastic reply and felt quite smug. “Now come on, let’s go find Platt, maybe he can help us decipher this.” She said gathering up the papers and lead them out of the newsroom.

Carrie didn’t bother talking on the drive back to Platt’s hide away and it seemed like Lois had no inclination of starting a conversation either. A strange crackling sound caught her ears as they arrived and the inner door was ajar, Lois pushing it open cautiously. “Lois, let me look first.” She said as she felt that something was definitely wrong with this picture.

“Don’t be silly, I’ve seen it all; war, crime, famine.” Lois said in a blasé tone and switched on the light, only for nothing to happen. “Dr. Platt?” she called and saw that he was sitting in an armchair, his back to them.

“Wait, wait.” Carrie said suddenly. “The water.” She said pointing to Platt’s bare feet being ‘soothed’ in a tube of water, blue electric sparks around his hands as a limp wire was in his hands. They both drew closer and were careful not to step on the water until a flash of blue light revealed Platt’s blue-gray face, peaceful in death.

Lois turned away, a hand clamping down on Carrie’s shoulder as her stomach twisted and to keep her balance. Carrie glanced away with a grimace, and because of the severity of the situation, didn’t bother with making Lois find something else to keep her balance on. 

They had called the police, but Carrie saw that while the officers were going through the scene, they seemed to have made up their minds fairly quickly about what had happened.

“Suicide? That’s ridiculous!” Lois argued.

“He’s tried it before.” Inspector Henderson replied in a jaded voice. “No sign of false entry, no sign of struggle, nobody saw anybody come in or out…”

“But we were on the verge of proving his theory…that something he was working on was right!” Lois protested. “There’s just no way he-”

“Hey, if a man’s gonna barbecue himself, he outta use sauce.” One officer joked.

Carrie felt her eyes grow wide with anger as she felt a sense of disgust that a police officer would make a joke about such a tragedy. She stabbed two fingers into the officer’s chest, her face only inches away from his, blaring with emotion. “The man’s name was Samuel Platt. He was brilliant, a scientist, someone who cared about others. Under the circumstances, I don’t believe that kind of humor is appropriate.”

“Sorry, lady.” The officer said, both feeling shame at his attitude and feeling intimidated at the tranquil fury in the woman’s voice. “Really, I’m sorry.” He added moving away.

“Are you okay?” Lois asked in concern.

“We should have known, we should have protected him.” Carrie replied bitterly.

“How?” Lois asked reasonably.

“I don’t know, but we should have done something.” Carrie said feeling the rage being replaced by sadness at the waste of a man’s life.

“Look, Caroline, all we can do know is try and prove him right. We have a lot of work to do.” Lois said and looked at her watch. “It’s only five-thirty, why don’t we try and get a few hours’ sleep and I’ll come by for you about nine, okay?” before waiting for an answer though, she walked away briskly.

Carrie looked back at the building, and about how she could try and help people. He thoughts went back to the wig she’d had worn to the Ball and the idea kept nagging at the back of her mind of what to do.

\------------------------------------------------------

When Carrie had woken up and taken her shower, she wrapped the towel around her body and called her parents on the payphone, the idea from last night still in her mind and she professed how the guilt was gnawing away at her from last night. “I can’t help it mom, I feel responsible.” She said in reply to what her mother had said. 

“If you could have helped him, you would have.” Martha said sensibly.

Jonathan changed the subject on the other phone in the house. “Carrie, what’s this about a worker caught in an explosion down a man hole? Your mother told me he recognized you!”

“Dad, the worker was really out of it. I mean, nobody believed him when he pointed to me.” Carrie assured them.

“One of these days you’re gonna pull one of your stunts and some nut with a video camera is going to-”

“Well what did you want her to do, Jonathan, did you just want her to let the man die?” Martha interrupted hotly and sighed heavily. “So how are your clothes holding out?” she said a in a forced cheerful voice.

“Don’t change the damn subject!” Jonathan said grumpily. 

“Listen, I have been thinking about this, and maybe it’s a crazy idea, but…mom, how’s your sewing machine, is it still working?” Carrie asked.

“I think so.” Her mother replied.

“Well, I have a favor to ask you. I think I need some kind of outfit.” Carrie paused, feeling unsure and embarrassed about what she was going to say. 

“Outfit?” Jonathan repeated in disbelief.

“Well, you know, like a disguise I could wear when things like that explosion happen.” Carrie explained, her face feeling hot. “I could-” There was a knock at the door. “Oh, mom, I gotta go, bye.” She said before hanging up and opened the door, and too late realized she was still wearing a towel.

“When I said nine, I didn’t realize you’d be naked.” Lois said dryly. “Ready?”

“I was on the phone; I’ll be out in a jiff.” Carrie said closing the door and vanished into the bathroom. She changed into a suit and came back out to see that Lois had invited herself in and was looking through her fridge. Her expression twisted up in annoyance. “When I closed the door on you, it wasn’t an invitation to let yourself in.”

Lois straightened up and closed the door. “We’d better be going.” She said in a slightly faster pace than normal.

“Uh-huh.” Carrie said cynically before they both left the hotel room. 

\---------------------------------------------------

Carrie walked toward her ‘partner,’ who was getting off the phone. “Lois!” she said nodding in the direction of the entrance.

“Who’s that?” Lois asked.

“It’s Mrs. Platt and her daughter, Amy.” Carrie replied.

Amy, a child of twelve, looked up at her mother. “Mom, I was supposed to be at Susan’s by now.”

“Oh, honey, take my coat and just wait over by the elevator for me, okay?” Mrs. Platt asked and put her coat on her daughter’s lap.

“Okay.” The girl agreed.

Both Lois and Carrie walked over, giving the child warm smiles. “Excuse me.” Mrs. Platt said before she turned Amy’s wheelchair around.

Amy looked over her shoulder at the two. “Bye.” She murmured as her mother wheeled her away before returning alone. “I, uh…I haven’t told her yet. You see, everything we worked for was for Amy. The space lab Prometheus was the only hope, and now…”

“Mrs. Platt, when you and Amy left your husband-” Lois began before she was cut off by Mrs. Platt.

“No, we never left him.” The woman said. “He made us leave. He was sure they were going to come after him. He was afraid Amy and I would get hurt, so he sent us away.”

“Do you have any idea who might’ve-”

“All I know is, Samuel knew Prometheus was being sabotaged and that knowledge got him killed. Please, help me. Don’t let his daughter grow up believing her father committed suicide.” The woman implored.

“We’ll try, we promise.” Carrie said softly.

“Thank you.” Mrs. Platt said shaking hands with the two of them before departing.

Later on, the television was turned to a channel that was tuning into an announcement. “We interrupt our regularly scheduled program to be bring you this special report from the Congress of Nations.”

The face of the Chairperson appeared on the screen. “I am pleased to announce that we have unanimously decided that the Space Station Prometheus will proceed.” She said looking into the camera.

“What about Lex Luthor’s proposal?” A journalist asked and Carrie felt a stab of confusion at that.

“This body would like to extend our deepest gratitude to Mr. Lex Luthor for his generous offer, but it is out firm belief that the space station should go forward as originally planned, a project dedicated to global cooperation for the advancement of the sciences. The Colonist’s launch, scheduled for next week, will proceed as planned…The rocket will also carry an auxiliary propulsion module. Should any serious problems arise, we shall be forced to cancel the mission. We don’t anticipate that happening, we anticipate the success.”

Later in the day, Jimmy had called both Carrie and Lois into an empty conference. “So I gave STAR Labs Dr. Platt’s report, they recreated the launch in a hologram, it was really smooth. Anyway, they concluded that Platt’s theory was right one, it was deliberate sabotage, and the transport explosion was no accident! Congrats!”

Lois gleefully feinted a jab at him which he ducked and gave a laugh before leaving and looked over at Carrie with a triumphant grin. “He was right, Platt was right!”

“Now we can write the story.” Carrie nodded.

“I can still write the story.” Lois corrected.

Any enthusiasm Carrie felt died at that moment. “With my help.” She insisted dryly.

Surprisingly, Lois agreed to this. “With your help. And if we can convince people there was sabotage, and who was behind it-”

“We can stop them.” Carrie finished, a small smile forming on her lips, but frowned as a paper airplane hit her in the head. She looked out of the room to see the blond sports reporter smirking from a desk. It seemed like he was tired of waiting and he was now trying his ‘other charm.’

\-------------------------------------------------------

“All right, let me see if I got this straight now.” Perry began slowly after reading the presentation that was presented to him about the sabotage theory. “You want me to publish a story that says that the Prometheus Project is being sabotaged…” While Jimmy and Carrie nodded, Lois looked uneasy. “…that the space transport Messenger exploded, and that the transport carrying the habitation module to the Space Station Prometheus, scheduled to be launched in less than three days, is probably also going to…blow to.” He said making the gesture with his hands.

While Carrie still nodded with a serious expression, Jimmy was now also looking uneasy. “And all of this information you got from interviewing Samuel Platt. A man who was banned from the scientific community, underwent psychiatric treatment, and committed suicide! Although he was ‘probably murdered’.” 

Both Jimmy and Lois winced, and Carrie looked rather disheartened herself at the story being put together in such a flimsy way.

“Now does that sum it up?” Perry questioned.

“Chief.” Lois began.

“Hard facts!” Perry shouted. “Hard facts, that’s the name of this game! Now go out there and get me some!” he handed the presentation back to Lois and she nodded and the three left the office in dismay.

“What we need is physical evidence.” Lois said brusquely.

“I’ll call Dr. Baines’ office and see if I can get permission to set up an independent examination-” Carrie began.

“Caroline, Baines is not going to let you do that, she could be involved. Besides, we don’t have time to play by the rules.” Lois said grabbing her coat from her chair. “The Colonist transport goes up in two days.”

“I’m making the call, maybe someone at EPRAD will authorize it.” Carrie insisted.

“You do that.” Lois said sharply as the other woman walked to her desk.

“Where are you going?” Jimmy asked as Lois strode toward the elevators.

“Nowhere.” The woman replied.

“I’m coming too.” The boy said rushing to catch up to her.

\--------------------------------------------------

Perry entered the crowded conference room. “Okay, sorry about the late hour, folks, there just doesn’t seem to be enough time in the day.” He said looking around the room again. “Where’s Lois and Jimmy? Caroline?”

“I’d assume they’d be here.” Carrie said shrugging, and while she didn’t particularly care for Lois, Jimmy was her new friend and she was starting to get worried. Then she remembered how Lois had said there was no time to play by the rules and only one conclusion came to mind. She’d gone to nose around for evidence and had probably gotten caught. 

“All right, we’re gonna start without them. Okay now, the piece on the recent sex change operation in the royal family, I kinda have mixed feelings about this, I-” Perry began, but Carrie abruptly stood up and headed to the door. “Kent? Meeting’s not over.”

“It’s not Lois or Jimmy to miss a staff meeting, sir. I thought I’d go call around, if that’s okay.” Carrie said.

“Hell of a way to run a railroad.” Perry muttered. “All right, let’s see, where was I? Oh yeah.”  
Carrie exited the room and quietly shut the door behind her. She looked around the room and found a room marked Storage and went in the grimy room. She stepped up underneath the window and was about to open the latches on it when Perry’s voice drifted into the room.

“Kent?” The woman quickly sat down on the window ledge and placed her hands on her lap while her feet were set on the bench. “Oh Kent, there you are.”

“Yes sir.” 

“They told me you were in here.”

“Yes sir.” Carrie repeated, not really sure about what she could say.

“Did you make your call?” Perry asked.

“I was just about to, sir.” Carrie said before she realized that this wasn’t exactly the best place to make a call, or even had a telephone in it.

“Oh…so, are you looking for something?”

“No sir, not really.” Carrie said truthfully.

“Um, well, I guess I’d better be getting back.” Perry said.

“Yes sir.

“When are you coming…out of the closet?”

“Soon, sir, very soon.” Carrie said getting up and put her hands in her jacket pockets and tried to look casual. When Perry left, Carrie belatedly realized again what she had just said and scolded herself for embarrassing herself before quickly going out the window.

When Carrie arrived at EPRAD and searched around, her guess had been accurately when she heard Lois’ voice. She stopped and listened to which direction it was coming from.

“You’ll never get away with this, everyone at the Planet knows where I am."

‘No, only I do.’ Carrie thought rolling her eyes and lowered her glasses to look through the wall of a nearby building to see Baines standing over Lois with a gun while a thug was tying Lois’ arms behind her, and onto the a pylon of the Messenger wreckage, Jimmy’s unconscious form lying nearby on the ground.

Carrie moved without much thought as she broke down the door and it was sent flying back. “Let them go.” She demanded as both thugs turned their guns on her. “Put those guns down or I’ll…I’ll…” her voice trailed off as it came to her that she couldn’t do anything.

“Or you’ll do what?” Baines asked amused.

Carrie only paused for a beat. “I don’t know.” She admitted.

A short while later, Carrie was tied to the other side of the wreckage with chains and Lois was tied up with seatbelts from the wreck. 

“I told Perry I needed a task force. Task force! What do I get? Amateurs! I still cannot believe you came barrelling in here like some five-hundred pound gorilla! If you really thought we were in trouble, why didn’t you bring the police?”

Carrie felt her temper rise. “Look-”

“Baines is going to kill us now; I don’t know why she hasn’t done it already!” Lois said   
interrupted her.

Carried quietly broke the padlock of her chains. “Lois, I’ve somehow managed to-”

“Mess everything up? No kidding!” Lois shot back.

“Now hold on a second!” Carrie snapped. “I’m not the one who snuck in here-”

“What are you saying? Are you saying that this is my fault?” Lois asked indignantly.

“Yes!” Carrie shouted.

“Well at least I had the guts to come in here and…” Lois stopped as she heard herself. “What am I saying, this is probably is my fault.”

“Not probably, is.” Carrie grumbled under her breath.

“I sometimes do things, you know, like jump into the pool without checking the water level first, but ….Caroline, it’s the only way I know how to do it. How to get the job done, to get the respect I want, that I deserve!”

While Carrie couldn’t pick apart the first part because she had just done exactly that, she could pick apart the second half. “You don’t have to go around all the time like everything’s a story though. I won’t lie to you, I don’t like you, not from the minute I met you.”

“Why did you come here then to get me?” Lois asked confused.

“You? I came here to get Jimmy since I was worried about him getting hurt about whatever mess you got into.” Carrie said bluntly. “And of course he did get hurt.”

“He wanted to come though.” Lois protested. 

“Yeah, alright, but my point still stands.” Carrie said and found she should at least give another try at understanding. “But, I’ve seen that everyone at the Planet thinks you’re the best reporter they’ve ever met. Perry told me that the day I interviewed.”

“He did?” Lois asked. 

“Yeah, and not that it really means anything coming from a ‘hack from Nowheresville’, but…” Carrie trailed off, and swallowed her pride at what was about to come out of her mouth. “…but you are a good reporter, no doubt about that.”

“I’m sorry, about everything. I know it’s too late for apologies, but I never meant-”Lois started, but Carrie cut her off.

“Yes you did.” She said dryly and Baines came back in.

“Well, I hope you’ll forgive the accommodations. But then again, I was never much of a hostess.” She said smiling tauntingly.

“Answer one question.” Lois said. “Why?”

“It’s simple Lois. Profit. Outer space is not different than any other new frontier. It’ll belong to those who get there first and seize the high ground.” Baines explained. “Sorry you won’t be around to enjoy the rest of the evening, but accidents do happen.”

“Accidents?” Lois questioned.

“Yes.” Baines said moving over to two canisters. “You see, while dismantling the orbital   
maneuvering system, the monomethyl hydrazine leaked…”she opened one of the canisters and an amber liquid leaked out and headed toward the drainage grate. “…and mixed with the nitrogen tetroxide.” She said opening the other canister and a green liquid seeped out. “Unfortunately, the blast killed three nosy reporters who didn’t bother to read the sign.” She said and reached down to stroke Carrie’s face, who fought to show no reaction and the blonde woman rapidly walked away.

Carrie waited a beat before tossing the chains aside and eyed the liquid as it made a path to the grate and leaked down into it. “Caroline, how did you-” Lois said astonished as the other woman released her from the seatbelts. 

“A missing link.” Carrie said hastily and helped her up absently before hoisting Jimmy over her shoulder. “What?” she said upon seeing Lois’ look before grabbing her arm and ran out of the hangar, just making it before the chemicals exploded and she flew just above the ground, wobbling awkwardly with the debris hitting her and the three of them landed in the muddy water, with the sound of another explosion going off.

Jimmy, having been shocked awake by the water, looking around uncomprehendingly and Lois looked shocked at the how far they were from the building. “What happened?” 

“I don’t know, I guess the force of the explosion must have carried us here.” Carrie offered.  
Something else though more precedent as Lois pointed upwards. “Look!” she said as before their eyes, a helicopter that was leaving the area exploded and the debris fell the ground.

\-----------------------------------------------------

The newspaper headline for the Daily Planet the next day was 'Messenger Sabotaged, Saboteur Dies In Fiery Explosion' with a picture of Dr. Antoinette Baines. 

Carrie though felt very little, not because the weight of what had all happened had hit her, but that the guilt she was feeling was eating at her and had left her emotionally exhausted and even though there was a party going on around her, she really didn’t feel like celebrating, but she saw that Jimmy was taking it all well.

“Were you scared, Jimmy?” One of the employees asked.

“Scared?” Jimmy scoffed and took of his party hat. “No, no, ladies, not at all! I was…” he trailed off as she saw that the young women were surrounding him and his tone took on an important tone. “I was more concerned with the larger issue. Unless we got out of there alive, the Colonists’ launch could blow up as well.”

“I just spoke to ground control over at EPRAD.” Perry announced and the staff all quieted down. “They went back over the Colonists’ launch vehicle with a fine tooth comb, found the same coolant problem in the protective banns, and fixed it. Launch is all set for tomorrow morning!” The staff cheered loudly. “It’s also a no go for you, Lois.” He said more quietly. “No reporters aloud.”

“Oh, Chief! Imagine the Daily Planet getting an exclusive personal account on the Colonist transport!”

“No can do, Lois.” Perry said.

 

“All right.” Lois said reluctantly. “Another time, maybe.”

Perry looked over at Carrie next. “Now Caroline, you’ll be pleased to know that Platt’s widow and his daughter are back on board.”

“Thank you very much sir, I appreciate that.” She replied.

When she was done talking, Lois surprised her again when she spoke to her. “Caroline, I just, well, wanted to thank you for all your help getting us out of there.” She said sincerely.

“I’m glad it all worked out.” Carrie replied modestly and without further word, the other woman but in her oversized party hat and went back to the party.

\-----------------------------------------------------

“I don’t know about this costume thing, Carrie.” Jonathan said at the dinner table.

“It’ll work, it has to!” Carrie replied fervently. “If I have an effective disguise I won’t have to worry about people finding out about me, and what better disguise than pretending to be male to add to it? It will be effective.”

Martha came in from the kitchen and put a serving dish onto the sideboard and then came up to run a hand along Carrie’s hand to smooth it back. “Come on, let’s get started!”

And after spending hours of trying on different tight costumes of a variety, and Carrie had donned her man-suit and wig for the ‘try-outs’ to see which one would work best. 

It was at the fifth attempt that her mother called out. “What about that one?”

“I don’t know.” She said uncertainly as her mother rose from the bed when she emerged and looked her over appraisingly. “What do you think?” she asked looking in the mirror and looked the costume over herself. The suit was blue, the underwear on the outside was red and it made her embarrassedly think that it made her feel a little less self-conscious, and the long flowing cape tucked below her neckline was also red, the boots she wore an the belt on her waist were yellow though.

“Well, one thing’s for sure, no one’s going to be looking at your face!” Martha said.

Carrie furrowed her brow and she looked down at the spandex stretching over her ‘flat’ chest and saw the muscled man-suit against the fabric. “Mom!”

“Well, they don’t call them tights for nothing.” Martha said laughing and Carrie let out a small laugh, a small nervous one though. “I don’t know, there’s something missing, something…”   
Martha’s voice trailed off as she dropped her knees the next moment and pulled out an old suitcase from behind the bed and opened it. 

“What’s that?” Carrie asked.

“The baby blanket we found you in so long ago.” Martha said stroking the soft blue item. “And this.” She said holding up the item to reveal a stylized ‘S’ in a shield design on the blanket that was in red and yellow, and after a little addition to the costume, Carrie stood in front of the mirror again. “Your folks would be so proud of you.” Martha said putting an around Carrie. “We sure are.”

“Thanks mom.” Carrie said giving her a hug back. “I’m not so sure about the cape though.”

“Oh, really? I love it! It’ll be great when you’re flying!” Martha said enthusiastically. 

Carrie removed her glasses and stared back at the ‘man’ in the mirror, almost heroic-looking in the bright colors, and she was amazed, and a little disturbed to find that the changes also reflected with making her features a little more…’mannish.’ Then again, that was the objective, and she knew she’d still be the relatively attractive woman she had always been out of costume. 

This was just to add another layer of keeping her identity a secret.

“Hey you two, come on in here!” Jonathan hollered from the living room. “The launch vehicle’s about to go up!”

Martha put a hand on the young woman’s shoulder. “Let’s go show him!”

When they had gone back to the living room, the pre-launch broadcast was making it’s round. “In preparation for the upcoming launch, all have undergone a series of examinations to determine their ability to function in an alternate environment.”

“The colonists are just about all on board.” Jonathan reported without turning around.

Martha gave Carrie an impish smile and the woman walked forward.

“This’ll be the first time that a group this large, drawn from the general population…” The newscaster reported and Carrie saw Amy Platt being carried onboard with her mother.

“Ah historic occasion.” Jonathan said reverently. “Remember when you were a kid, Carrie, and we watched the first moon landing...” he said turning around, but when he saw what his daughter   
looked like, he jumped in surprise.

“What do you think?” Carrie questioned, a little pleased, and a little anxious.

“Why, you look like a man in that.” Jonathan said surprised.

Carrie smiled lop-sidedly. “That was the point, remember?” 

“Oh, then that’s my…boy.” Jonathan said humorously. 

Carrie chuckled while Martha looked concerned. “But Carrie, while this disguise may work, what about your voice and your wig?”

“Already taken care of.” Carrie said as she pointed at her hair. “It’s all bundled up under this and I got special clips that will keep it on my head, and,” she took on the believably male pitch of her voice that she had been working on, “the voice has alo been taken care of too.”

Martha still looked a little doubtful, but it also looked as though most of her fears were settled. “Yeah.” She said before the three of them looked at the television to watch the launch.

They watched the countdown, and when the thrusters fired up, Jonathan yelled, “There she blows!” and Carrie shook her head with a smile, but it vanished into a worried frown when it was reported that something had gone wrong and she only had to think about what to do before she was out the door and flying toward the launch pad.

When she flew toward the launch pad to be noticeable, she saw that the crowd at the bottom had spotted her, and when she reached her destination, she landed on the catwalk that connected the tower to the vehicle, and saw an open compartment, she saw Lois inside, her eyes wide with fear. She reigned in her annoyance and instead focused on the incessant beeping and saw a little black box that was about to blow. She took it off the wall and exposed the panel.

“Hey, get away from that!” Lois cried as the woman took a flat square out from within. “What kind of lunatic are you? That’s a bomb!”

Carrie stared at the bomb in her hand, ignoring Lois, before popping it into her mouth and while she felt the slight irritation and an odd boom from inside her body, she burped and covered her mouth and patted her chest, manners kicking in. “Excuse me.” She said in her male voice.

“What the hell are you?” Lois asked with her jaw hanging open and followed the ‘man’ into the passageway, where the columnists were gathering. “There was a bomb. He…he…ate it!” she finished in confusion.

Carrie saw Amy and smiled down at her. “Hi.” 

“Hi, I like your costume.” The girl offered beaming.

“Thank you.” Carrie said relieved. “My mother made it for me. What’s your name?”

“Amy. Amy Platt. Who are you?” 

Carrie though about how to answer that. “I’m…a friend.”

“Can you teach me how to fly?” Amy asked grinning and her mother knelt beside her with a smile.

“Not fly, but once this lab is operational…walk, that’s very possible.” Carrie said seriously.

“Attention colonists: the mission has been scrubbed. Prepare to disembark.” The supervisor’s voice said on the loud speaker.

The colonists all looked dejected. “That’s it, then, it’s all over.” One man said.

“Why?” Lois questioned.

“Once the thrusters have been fired, they have to be replaced.” Mrs. Platt explained.

“We just have to forget about Space Station Prometheus.”

“No.” Carrie said seriously. “You don’t.” When all the eyes turned to her, she   
continued. “There’s nothing wrong with this transport vehicle,” she pointed out, “or the station, you only need to get there.”

“How’re they supposed to do that?” Lois asked.

“Easy.” Carrie replied smiling to the passengers. “I’ll help give ‘em a boost.”

And when everyone was seated, and of course, taking some joy in booting Lois off with the fact she couldn’t breathe in space, who’d very reluctantly agreed and got off the vehicle. Carrie then helped the vehicle fly through the atmosphere, and upon nearing the space station, heard the announcement of “All Prometheus personnel prepare for docking.”

With her careful guidance, the vehicle docked successfully.

\---------------------------------------------------

The Daily Planet was in a frenzy over the incredible story of how the space vehicle and the even more incredible thing that had allowed it to reach it’s destination. “I still don’t believe it,” Perry said skeptically as he looked over at Jimmy, “a man who flies!”

“Chief, it’s all over the TV.” Jimmy insisted.

“Aw, Jimmy, don’t believe everything you see on TV.” Perry said in disgust. “I tell you one thing though. “Whoever pulled off that hoax is a …” his voice trailed off as he looked up.  
Flying in through the huge windows was a figure dressed in red and blue with a long flowing cape, while carrying a quiet Lois in ‘his’ arms, the entire staff watching in amazement. 

“Great shades of Elvis!” Perry exhaled slowly.

Carrie saw Jimmy take a few photos, and while her face was curved into a radiant, chivalrous outer appearance, she was extremely annoyed at the fact Lois had bugged her into taking her back to the Planet. She set the woman down gently, despite having the urge to just drop her and be done with it and leave.

Yes, helping those people had been good, but this…

…she was also growing unsettled by the way Lois was looking at her.

“I see it, but I don’t believe it.” Cat said flatly.

“What, a man who flies?” Asked an amazed co-worker.

“No, Lois Lane, finally-literally-swept off her feet! Too bad he’s an alien.” Cat said disparagingly.

“I think, considering the fact I saw you first, you owe me an exclusive.” Lois said.

‘Oh no I don’t.’ Carrie thought annoyed, but kept her voice playful. “Is that the rule?”

“Well, no.” Lois admitted with a laugh. “But I’d appreciate it very much.” She added and Carrie took the time to fly out, but Lois still called out to her. “Wait! How do I find you?”

‘You won’t.’ Carrie thought grumpily, but only said, “I’ll be around” and then she flew off.

\--------------------------------------------------

When Carrie arrived at the Planet the next day for work, she found that Lois was already there. “Morning Lois.”

“Caroline, where’ve you been?” 

“Around.”

“Well,” Lois began as she grasped a hold of Carrie’s arm, “not that it’s been anywhere near as exciting as the stories you’ve covered in the Smallville Press, but Superman was in the newsroom and I just about nailed down the exclusive!” she said with pride.

While Carrie internally laughed at how well her costume had fooled everyone, she felt some semblance of her own pride as if she had made her debut as a woman, she probably would have gotten saddled with something like ‘girl’ at the end while she could as just as well be ‘woman.’ 

“Well, congratulations.” Carrie said, her voice carefully neutral.

“Caroline, you should’ve seen him, up close…He is the most magnificent figure of a man that I have ever-”

Feeling quite disturbed by this, Carrie interrupted. “Sounds like he made quite the impression on you.” 

“He did!” Lois agreed and walked over to the elevators. 

“Where are you going?” Carrie asked, feeling that it was strange if Lois was just leaving work when she-supposedly-just got in.

“To cover a shoot-out on Sixth. And Kent…” Lois said pointing a finger at her. “I’ll ask the questions.” She said in a business-like tone.

Carrie thought over the events of the day she had. She’d helped the space vehicle reach it’s destination, and aside from one small blip, it was overall a great day. 

“Head’s up pretty lady!”

Carrie instinctively ducked as a football went sailing over her head and she shook her head. 

Well, yesterday had been a great day anyway.


	2. Chapter 2

While the Daily Planet was in a hustle, both Lois and Carrie were looking over an artist’s rendition of ‘Superman,’ and they were soon joined by Cat.

“No, the color’s wrong.” Lois said.

“More almond-shaped.” Cat chimed in.

Carrie barely recognized the face as her own on the paper, as it was fierce, and had chiseled features, but then again, that was the point of her disguise. 

“You said blue.” The artist said.

“Well, not blue, blue-not dull, watery, insipid blue, like Caroline’s.” Lois said patting the other woman on the shoulder without looking at her. “No offense, Caroline.”

“Watery?” Carrie repeated and despite the words, she did feel rather offended. She didn’t say that Lois’ eyes were muddy, did she? 

“More vibrant, more radiant…” Lois continued.

Cat bent down to the artist’s ear. “Bedroom eyes.” She purred.

Jimmy stopped by them. “Hey, if he is an alien, maybe he doesn’t get the old, you know…itch.”

Carrie rolled her eyes, but no one seemed to notice. 

“Mmm, one way to find out.” Cat said.

Lois looked over at the redhead in disgust. “A possible visitor from another planet arrives on Earth, and all you can think about is hauling him back to your lair to try him out!”

“Test drive, Lois. Couple of hours behind the wheel and I’d know for sure if we’re talking import…or domestic.” Cat replied.

Carrie was feeling rather disturbed by all this talk of how her alter ego was being romanticized or sexualized. She imagined what would have happened had she gone as herself and figured the attention would have been the same, if not worse than this. She watched the little disasters about to happen in the room, and stopped a coffee pot that was about to fall onto the elderly secretary, and stopped a ladder from falling, and then detoured back to the coffee area and grabbed a doughnut, which she took a bite out of. “You know, he didn’t seem all that special to me. I mean, except for the flying and the uniform, he could just be any ordinary guy.” She said after swallowing and straightened her jacket.

“Ordinary?” Lois repeated scornfully. “Give me a break! What we’ve got here is an example of human evolution. Before and after.”

“Who’s the before?” Carrie asked sarcastically. 

“Eh, Steve can be the before and Superman’s the after.” Lois said dismissively as she looked over and saw the blond flicking paper footballs at passing people. “Make that way, way after.”

\---------------------------------------------

Everyone had gathered in the conference room for the 6:00 am staff meeting and Perry was looking at the photos of Superman carrying Lois into the building. “Jimmy, these are no good.”

“Oh, they’re okay.” The photographer grumbled.

“Okay? Okay doesn’t cut it at this newspaper.” Perry growled. “All right, sit down, just sit down. How’s everybody this morning, sleep well?” he asked and some of the staff answered in an affirmative while some looked like they would like to get back to sleep. “I didn’t. Last night out publisher called me into his office and asked me one question. The question was: how come the Daily Planet hadn’t nailed down the Superman story since it literally dropped in our laps.” He said looking around the room. “Now I took this as a personal criticism, and I assured him that each and every one of my staff would chip in, would not rest until Superman was ours. Now…is that clear?” 

“No!” Lois objected. “Perry, you can’t be serious. I was the one Superman flew with, I wrote the original piece, I found him!”

“Actually, he found you.” Carrie pointed out smartly.

“Thank you, Kent.” Lois said sarcastically as she glared at her. “Perry, this isn’t fair. I should have the exclusive on the follow-up. Those are the rules.”

“The rules are off, this is too big.” Perry retorted.

“But he’s mine!” Lois protested and jumped from her seat while the other staff members looked amused. “-mine, as in my story…story mine.”

“From now on, Superman is fair game. Every reporter for himself…or herself.” Perry said looking pointedly at Lois.

“All right!” Jimmy exclaimed.

“Enthusiasm, see, I love it.” Perry said approvingly.

“I’m with you, Chief.”

“We’re a team?”

“Yes sir!” Jimmy replied.

“Fine, Jimmy, now here’s what I want from you.” Perry began. “Two…no, no, no, make that three…” 

“Okay.” Jimmy said seriously as he wrote it down.

“Donuts, jelly. Go to Lucille’s, tell her they’re for me. You got it?” Perry questioned.  
Jimmy stopped writing and hiss face fell. “Got it.”

The phone rang and Perry answered it. “White. No, no, no, just wait a minute, don’t…Hey, I don’t agree with that.”

Lois turned to stare at the blow up of Jimmy’s picture. “I’ll find him.” she said softly as she looked at the darkened image of Superman.

“How?” Carrie asked. “He could be anywhere. Mars, the North Pole…”

“I’ll find him.” Lois insisted.

“What if he doesn’t want to be found?” Carrie asked.

“What are you talking about? Why wouldn’t he want to be found?” Lois questioned incredulously. 

“Maybe all this frenzy isn’t what he expected. Maybe he’s gun-shy?” Carrie asked.  
“That’s ridiculous.” Lois said dismissively. “He has no reason to hide. Especially from me.”

‘That’s reason enough right there.’ Carrie thought darkly.

“Mmm mmm, wait a minute. I get it. You and Superman joined the old zero-gravity club up on the space station, didn’t you?” Cat questioned, looking very much on the verge of laughter, while on the inside Carrie wanted to gag.

“Excuse me?” Lois questioned coldly.

“Oh, oh, it’s okay, don’t worry.” Cat reassured the woman. “Your secret’s safe. Not one would believe it anyway.” Carrie chuckled at the look on Lois’ face.

“All right, everybody, let’s think.” Perry called out. “What would draw Superman out? Use your instincts. Beat the bush, turn the stones…Get me Superman!”

While the rest of the staff dispersed, Carrie decided to use this opportunity to try and be courteous. “Lois, are we teaming up again?”

Lois gave Carrie a cold look. “There is no ‘we’ on this.” She said dismissively and walked out.

Carrie rolled her eyes and didn’t notice the blond man slide into the seat next to her. “’We’ sounds good.”

Carrie raised a brow. “I thought you wrote sports?”

“I do, but like the Chief said, it’s a free for all.” Steve replied. “So what do you say?”

“Um…” Carrie wasn’t sure what to say really. “Er, sorry got to go wait for a phone call. Maybe next time.”

“I’ll hold you to that.”

Carrie waved her acknowledgement as she waited at her desk phone and a few moments later it rang. “Caroline Kent…Really? He’s there now? Great!” she said excitedly as she thought about not having to stay in the same hotel anymore. “Give me the address again? 344 Clinton, okay. Tell him I’ll be right over, don’t let him leave.” She said and tore off the paper she’d written the address on before leaving the newsroom. 

\---------------------------------------------

Carrie followed the landlord named Floyd into the ground floor of an apartment she’d wanted to look at. And while it was littered with various things, like dust and junk, it was nothing she couldn’t clean up herself.

“The quietest building in Metropolis.” Floyd said ignoring the car alarm from outside. “You married?”

“No.”

“Boyfriend?”

“No.”

“Girlfriend?” Floyd pressed and Carrie gave him a look. “Me, I mind my own business. Where you from?”

“Kansas.” Carrie said looking around the apartment and opened one of the cupboards, only to have it come off it’s hinges.

“A few screws is all.” Floyd said sheepishly.

Carrie turned the faucet, but grimaced as she stared at the gooey black water coming out. “Minerals. It’s good for the liver.” Floyd said and diverted the woman’s attention to the window. “Nice view, You can see out, no one can see in. Walk around in the buff. I do.”

Carrie stared the man’s bulging stomach and repressed the image that came with it. “How much?”

“Nine-fifty.” The landlord said.

“Nine hundred and fifty?” Carrie asked in disbelief.

“You want cheap, go back to Iowa.” Floyd said.

“Kansas.”

“This is Metropolis. Nine even, take it or leave it.”

Carrie rested a and on the knob at the end of the rail which lead to the door, grimacing as it fell off. “Mind of I make a few repairs?”

“I guess not.” The landlord said looking embarrassed.

Carrie nodded and once again looking over the place. It would take some work, but she could get this place all clean in no time. “When can I move in?”

“As soon as the check clears.” Floyd said. “I’ll get some extra keys made.”  
Carrie blew dust off the rail, but the doors were also held shut as someone tried to open them and when she stopped, another woman stumbled in. “Lois!” she said in outrage at the nerve of the woman for following her. 

“Where is he?” Lois questioned while ignoring Carrie’s angry tone.

“Who?” The landlord said.

“Who?” Carrie also echoed, deciding to play dumb.

“Where am I?” Lois asked looking around.

“My new apartment.” Carrie said, the anger still evident in her voice.

Lois looked around dismissively. “Hmm!” she sniffed, clearly unimpressed with the place and turned on her heel, storming out of the room.

The landlord looked at Carrie for an explanation. “Don’t look at me; she’s just some annoying woman that I work with.”

\-----------------------------------------------

Carrie glared once again at Lois, who was working on her computer and typing when the device on the desk busts on, and it took Carrie a moment to realize that it was a police scanner. 

“Attention all units. Code four. Possible jumper, Lexor Hotel. Crowd control and negotiations team to the Emergency response requested.”

Perry burst out of his office a moment later. “Lois!”

“On it!” Lois called as he headed to the elevator. 

Carrie grabbed her gym bag and headed to the…she looked briefly between the two washrooms and after a moment went into the women’s washroom and made sure to head out through the window. She went into the stall and heard the door open as she struggled into her boots after changing into her suit, both suits, and wig. 

“Will you be long?” A woman’s voice asked.

Carrie cringed before answering in her regular voice. “Uh, yes.” She said as she lost her balance for a moment as she struggled to put on the second boot and her elbow went through the metal door.

“Take your time!” The woman exclaimed fearfully and the washroom door opened and shut. After getting on the boot, she opens the door and quickly flies out the window across the city by using her super speed. She arrives at the hotel to see a dark-skinned man waving his arms as it looks like he lost his balance. 

She lands beside him and catches him. “The S-Man.” The man said.

Carrie finds that he doesn’t act like a jumper and was at total ease as she helped off the ledge. “You don’t really want to do this.”

“You’re right. I’ve seen the error of my ways.” The man replied 

Carrie was beginning to feel somewhat suspicious as the man is led inside the building when her super hearing picks up a scream and she took off without another thought. She sees the woman and carefully catches her as she knew that if she caught the woman in a sudden stop, well, it would be bad. 

\--------------------------------------------

Lois gets out of her cab just as the siren pulls away and there are still people gathered on the sidewalk, and she looks to one cluster of people. “What happened?”

Carrie appears after changing and answers her instead. “Lois, it was incredible. Superman caught that woman, she’d okay. She left in an ambulance a minute ago.” She said and paused. “You should have been here.”

Lois looked at her with a smile that was more of a grimace. “Caroline, that’s great! Really great!”

“I better phone it in.” Carrie mused.

Lois shook her head. “Don’t. They’ll just rewrite you. My advice is: get back to the office and start typing. Look, take my cab.” She said pointing to the taxi. “Go on.”

Carrie scrutinized her before she accepted the gesture at Lois’ attempt to be less of a snob. “Lois, I appreciate this. You still owe me one though.”

Lois grimaced for real as the cab left. “No, I owe you two now.”

\-------------------------------------------

All thoughts of Lois attempting to be nice were thrown out the window when she’d found what the article for the Superman story was and she marched right up to the woman and dropped the paper onto the desk, her face clouded in anger. “’Superman Averts Double Suicide.’ By Lois Lane.” She grounded out. “First of all-”

“Caroline, don’t even start. You got what you deserved.” Lois interrupted the woman tersely. 

Carrie’s anger increases and she has to hold back breaking the desk. “What?”

“I know it’s tough, but someday you’ll thank me.” Lois said.

“Thank you?” Carrie questioned in disbelief. 

“You’re welcome.” Lois replied. “Never, never let go of a story. Trust no one. Period.”

“I see.” Carrie said grimly.

“Consider this a life lesson. No charge.” Lois said.

Carrie purses her lips and storms over to her own desk and she noticed a middle-aged man dressed rather conservatively and stopped by Lois’ desk.

“Excuse me, my name is Cleveland. I’m looking for Eduardo Frieze.” He said.

“He went to lunch.” Lois replied without looking up.

“We had an appointment.” Cleveland said looking offended at Lois’ tone.

“I’ll tell him you came by.” Lois replied impatiently.

“Don’t bother. I’ll take my story elsewhere. Perhaps the Metropolis Star will be interested in information concerning Superman.” Cleveland said as he turned to leave.

“Superman?” Lois questioned and looked toward an empty desk. “I…” she stood and grabbed Cleveland’s arm. “Cleveland! I’ve been expecting you. I’m so sorry. Eduardo told me you’d stop by. Please forgive me.” She said pointing to the conference room. “Let’s talk in the conference room, shall we?” 

Cleveland pulls his arm free. “I’m suddenly rather hungry. Perhaps after lunch.”

Lois grabbed a bag off her desk. “Take mine. Chicken salad.”

“Home-made?” Cleveland questioned as Lois pulled him over to the conference room.

Carrie had watched the exchange with a sense of growing disgust and disbelief and saw Jimmy carrying a Mr. Foot machine. “Jimmy?”

“Yo, CK.” The boy replied.

“Tell me something…Is Lois always so aggressive going after stories?” Carrie questioned.

“Does the phrase, ‘Mad Dog Lane’ sound about right?” Jimmy asked.

“Seriously.” Carrie replied.

“Seriously? Yeah. But I’ve never seen her this worked up. This Superman guy has really   
pushed her buttons.” Jimmy said before his voice turned a touch sympathetic. “I heard she aced you out of you story yesterday. Tough break.”

“Someone ought to teach her a lesson.” Carrie mused.

“Sure, but who? Godzilla?” Jimmy joked.

Carrie smiled and noticed the machine. “What is that?”

“Big assignment from the Chief. Vibrating water massage. Stress relief. Needs it back by five.” Jimmy replied.

Now it was Carrie’s voice who turned sympathetic. “Talk to him. Tell him how you feel.”

“Perry White doesn’t care how I feel. To him I’m Mr. Fixit and Mr. Gogetit.” He paused. “I’m a journalist.”

“Then stand up to him. Make him see it.” Carrie said.

“I’ve tried.” Jimmy replied sadly. “Sort of. Catch you later.” He added as he headed over to his own desk and set the machine down. 

Carrie put a hand to her chin and her mind went back to the odd coincidence that there just happened to be two suicide attempts the previous day, but her thoughts had to wait as Perry burst from his office. 

“Where’s Lois?”

“She must have stepped out, Chief.” Carrie replied without missing a beat.

“Okay. Kent, Paulsen, Schwartz: we’ve got a bomb in the lobby of the Carlton Building at Third and Ordway. And get a photographer down there.” Perry said.

“I’ll go.” Jimmy offered enthusiastically.

“Have you fixed the thermostat on Mr. Foot yet?” Perry questioned.

“It can wait.” Jimmy said hopefully.

“The hell it can!” Perry shouted. Carrie, Jimmy, and the other reporters left to do their respective errands. “What are you gawking at?” he yelled at the other still looking staff and they scattered. “I love the smell of fear in a newsroom.”

\------------------------------------------

“If you’ve just joined us, the original report of a bomb being planted in the lobby if the Carlton Building has now been confirmed. Currently, the Bomb Squad is awaiting the arrival of what they term a ‘containment blister’ as well as a team of deactivation specialists. Once the blister is in place, they’ll attempt to neutralize the threat. 

Meanwhile, the building has been evacuated and we’re now being told to move back. So, for, now, this is Linda Montoya…” 

There was a roaring of the crowd and the camera zooms in on a newcomer. “He’s here! Superman is here and may be about to enter the building. Can we get a shot of that?”   
The newscaster asked and Superman lands on the ground and climbed up the buildings, and entering the building. 

Inside, Carrie looks around for the bomb, but she hears the ‘bang’ before the room exploded around her. She looks down at her costume and despite the cape being tattered; she’s fine and leaves the building. She looks around again and hears the sirens of oncoming ambulances and left to change. 

When Carrie changes back into her regular suit, she found Lois talking to Inspector Henderson and that while no one else was hurt, the fact Lois had a bandage on her head told Carrie that Lois had crossed the police line. 

“The explosion was radio-controlled, activated from an unknown point of origin within a t-mile radius of this site, Also, there were video camera’s installed in the lobby that were not part of the system, or any other system that management company knew about. We think the two are connected.

“You’re saying someone waited for Superman to appear, watched him enter the building, and then detonated the explosives?” Lois questioned.

“That’s our theory.” The inspector said.

“I can’t believe it. A bomb, it’s horrible.” Lois said. “That poor man.”

Carrie frowned. Had someone gotten hurt? “What man?”

Lois glanced at Carrie for a moment. “Superman. He comes here to help us…Can you imagine how he feels?”

“I think so.” Carrie answers.

“It doesn’t make sense.” Lois replied. “Who’d want to kill Superman?”

Carrie’s thoughts again went back to the strange even the previous day.

\--------------------------------------------

Carrie stood at the kitchen sink as she was casually dressed in sweatpants and a blue tank top while she cradled a phone against her ear as she stubbornly scrubbed at a stain on her costume. “It’s not coming out.” She said sadly.

“Carrie, is it a dirt stain or an oil-based stain?” Her mother asked.

“I don’t know mom, it’s bomb stain.” Carrie replied.

“You sure you’re alright? We saw the explosion on television. That wasn’t any nickel popper.” Her father added.

“I’m fine.” Carrie insisted. “Now if I can only get..”

“The important thing is: blot, don’t rub.” Martha reminded her.

Carrie stopped what she was doing and looked at the stain, and upon seeing that it had spread, she sighed and set aside the cloth. 

“Will you forget about the laundry for a minute?!” Jonathan said. “We’ve got a serious problem here.”

“Jonathan, it isn’t certain the explosion was aimed at her.” Martha retorted. 

“Bull. Someone’s gunning for our girl.” Jonathan rebuked.

“Our girl can take care of herself.” Martha said.

“It’s not me I’m worried about, mom. It’s everyone else in Metropolis.” Carrie replied.

“Who do you think it is, kid?” Jonathan asked.

“I don’t know. I’ve got a couple of leads. There was something about those suicide attempts. Two people jumping from buildings on a direct line of sight across the city at exactly the same time?” Carrie said dubiously.

“Call us.” Her father said.

“I will.” Carrie promised. She said her goodbye and hung up the phone and looked around her still despairing apartment. The place was empty and decrepit, but she had painting supplies and was about to get started when someone knocked on the door and she looked outside it to see the landlord.

“Extra keys, Kent. I’ll just…” he sticks one into the lock but none of them   
work. “Wrong apartment.” He said turning away and Carrie closed the door before she turned on a portable radio and after using her super speed; she managed to pain the entire apartment in green and white colors and came out of her room in a suit and walks past Floyd on her way out.

“Kent! I found it!” he said but sees that the woman is gone before he shakes his head and tried another key, this one actually working, but his jaw dropped as he saw the now painted inside. He looked around the room and after staring in the direction Carrie went, he crossed himself.

\----------------------------------------------

Carrie sat at her desk and sighed as she saw a tack on her seat and threw it into the garbage before giving Steve an annoyed glance and saw down at her seat and dialed up an extension. “Jennifer, it’s Caroline from the newsroom again. Any progress on the background stuff on Monique Kahn and Jules Johnson?” she asked and waited for the reply. “How about employment records?” she waited again. “Okay, send them up as soon as you do. Great, thanks.”

“CK! Metropolis Hospital on three.” Jimmy called.

Carrie nodded and hurriedly picked the phone up. “Dr. Newman? Thanks for returning my call.” She said gratefully and began to write down what the doctor was telling her. “Yes…uh huh…really? That’s unusual isn’t it? I see. Okay. Thanks very much. No, that won’t be necessary.” She said before hanging up and noticed that Lois had eavesdropped. “Yes?” she asked annoyed.

“Is that the same Dr. Newman who did the psychiatric evaluations on the attempted suicides?” she asked.

“Yep.” Carrie replied disinterested.

“So, what have we got?” Lois asked sweetly.

Carrie glared up at her from under her lashes. “We? There is no ‘we.’ I’m quoting directly here.” She retorted hotly and turned to her computer. “I have work to do here, so if you don’t mind…” she said making a shooing gesture.

Lois let out a scoff and walked back over to her desk and Jimmy approaches her. “I had an idea for a way to track down Superman.” 

“Great, let’s hear it.” Lois replied.

But before Jimmy can reply, Perry shouts from across the room. “Olsen! When I say ‘soda’ I mean real soda, not that lily-livered diet stuff! If you’re gonna do a   
job, do it right. Now get!”

“Gotta go.” Jimmy said unenthusiastically. He starts to go for the exit, but looks over at Carrie, who’s looking at him and he looks back at Perry’s office door before heading over to that instead.

Only to come out looking subdued as Lois waves him over. “What was that angle you had on Superman?”

“It’s probably no good.” Jimmy replied and stopped at Carrie’s desk. “I’m a terminal wimp.”

Carrie patted him on the back sympathetically and Jimmy walks over to the vending machine. A messenger comes over to her desk and dumps a handful of printouts on her desk before leaving. She looks them over to find that the employment of both jumpers worked for LexCorp. 

Her expression turns grim as a connection begins to form in her mind.

\-----------------------------------------------

Carrie flew through the air toward the penthouse just ahead and her thoughts were angry, wondering why if this person was the one who was orchestrating these ‘accidents’ to test her. She flew low enough to land at the window and saw Luthor standing there with his back to her.

“Come in, Superman.” 

Carrie didn’t hesitate as she stepped into the light as Luthor turned around. “You want to know how strong I am Luthor?” she questioned as she grabbed a pear-shaped diamond from the desk and crushed it in her hands. “You want to know how fast I am?” she asked somewhat darkly as she grabbed a gun from the desk and aimed it at Luthor, who now was starting to get anxious. She fired, but grabbed the bullet before it could reach its mark between her index and thumb. “You want to know how invulnerable I am?” she finished as she dropped the bullet and grabbed a sword off the wall before twisting it and dropping that too.

“Does that conclude your demonstrations?” Luthor questioned.

Carrie glared at him fiercely. “The tests stop now.” she said before turning away to the exit.

“That would be nice, but what if they don’t?” Luthor questioned.

Carrie’s glare strengthened as she looked back at him. “Make it happen.”

“Me? I admit nothing. However, let’s assume that these tests continue. You can’t be in every place at once, Superman. As long as you stay in Metropolis, innocent people will die. Are you willing to accept that responsibility? If I were you, I’d think about it.” Luthor said before walking out of his study.

Carrie stared after him, her expression going from anger to horror as she realized what this meant.

\----------------------------------------------

Carrie sat down on a chair in front of her parents at their farmhouse, wearing her costume. “I don’t know what to do.”

“Carrie, you haven’t done anything wrong.” Jonathan said.

“Dad, others are hurt…because of me. Because I created Superman.” Carrie replied morosely.

“What happened to those people wasn’t Superman’s fault. It was Lex Luthor’s.” Martha replied.

“But I have no proof.” Carrie said softly. “I can’t just throw him off a building.” She said pausing before shaking her head. “I’m trapped. As long as I keep Superman alive, Luthor can make good on his threat.”

“Kid, how can we help?” Jonathan asked.

Carrie slumped her shoulders. “You can’t.” she said quietly and she rises from her seat and kisses her mother’s cheek before leaving the house and in a streak of red and blue, disappeared and after she returned to her apartment, she changed out of her costume and folded the suit up and tucked it in her old suitcase before putting it in a corner.

She stared at it for a moment before reluctantly turning away.

\---------------------------------------------

At the Daily Planet, Lois was doodling a drawing of an ‘S’ on a paper and nearby stood Jimmy, Cat, and Carrie, the general mood rather muted. 

“Penny for your thoughts?” Cat asked.

“Where is he?! It’s been three days.” Lois said angrily.

“Maybe whoever was after him scared him off.” Jimmy said.

“I refuse to believe that. Superman is no coward. He wouldn’t turn tail at the first sign of trouble.” Lois said and Carrie grimaced from her seat before Lois looked over at Jimmy. “Didn’t you have some idea for finding Superman?”

“Forget it. It’s a zero. Like my life.” Jimmy griped.

“Tell me anyway.” Lois insisted.

“I just thought: if Superman is an alien, and came here from another planet, he’d have some kind of space ship. Track the ship somehow, find Superman.” Jimmy said.

“Huh.” Lois looked considering.

“A zero, I told you.” Jimmy replied.

“Olsen!” Perry called holding up a large, large-mouthed bass on a wooden shield, but the front bracket came loose and the fish was hanging on by its tail.

“Duty calls.” Jimmy said in resignation before he trashes his lunch and heads over to Perry’s office.

Lois though thinks over what she’s been told and punches in a number on her phone. “Operator, get me the EPRAD satellite tracking system in Fairbanks, Alaska.”

Carrie couldn’t believe what she was hearing. “Now Jimmy? That’s it. That’s the last straw.” She said to herself as she was just about to confront Lois before Perry came and clapped her on the shoulder before giving her a piece of paper.

“Third and Walnut. Drive-by shooting. Get down there now.” he said.

Carrie looks over to Lois, who was hunched over her phone and while no one was looking, she used her super speed to draw a map with arrows centered around an ‘X’ and by it were the words, “Superman’s Ship.” She used her speed again to folded it, put an address on it, and picked up her phone. “Hi. This is Caroline Kent in the newsroom. Could I get a messenger up here? Right. On my desk. Tonight. To Lois Lane’s apartment.” She said before gathering up her things and headed to the exit.

\---------------------------------------------------

When Carrie returned to the Daily Planet, the place was deserted except for everyone but Lois, who was watching the television that showed one disaster after another with the mute on and the woman looked back at her. “Bad?”

Carrie, feeling too tired to muster any snide remark, decided to be honest. “A fifteen year old boy is in critical condition, his mother is in shock, and his little sister can’t stop crying. There were witnesses, but they’re not talking. The officer I talked to says they’ve had half a dozen like this in the last week alone.”

“Sounds like a job for Superman.” Lois said sadly.

Carrie felt her anger resurface. “Yeah. That would have made a truly great story, wouldn’t it?” she said bitterly.

“Forget the story, Caroline. Metropolis needs Superman.” Lois retorted.

Carrie tilted her head, her anger being stifled at the moment. “You think he would have been able to stop this?” she asked slapping her notebook and pointed to the TV screen which showed a car crash. “Or that?”

“No, even Superman can’t be everywhere at once.” Lois replied.

Carrie remembers that was also something Luthor had said and glared at her. “Then what good is he?” she asked defensively.

“What he can’t do…it doesn’t matter. It’s the idea of Superman. Someone to believe in. Someone to build a few hopes around. Whatever he can do: it’s enough.” Lois explained. “If I could only tell him that. I hope it’s not too late.” She said before getting up to leave.

Carrie thought about the words before grudgingly accepting the truth in them and knew what she needed to do. 

\----------------------------------------------

Carrie soars across the city as she hears a commotion and looks down to see billboard about to fall on a little girl. She streaks down in a blur of red and blue and lands beside the girl, lifting up her arm to catch the billboard.

“Superman!” The crowd cries.

The little girl smiles at her and she smiles back as she hears someone snap a picture.  
Yes, it does feel good to be back.

\---------------------------------------------

Carrie is surrounded by Perry, Jimmy, Cat, Steve, and others to congratulate her. 

“Good work, Kent.” Perry said.

“Thank you, sir.” Carrie replied as she looked down at the paper in front of her, the headline reading 'Disaster Averted' by 'Caroline Kent'. “I was just in the right place at the right time.”

“That’s what being a good reporter’s all about. Keep it up.” Perry said and looked at Jimmy. “What’s taking my fish so long?”

“Uh, on it, Chief.” Jimmy replied uncomfortably and after Perry leaves, he looks over the article. “’Let there be no mistake. Metropolis is my home now. I’m here to stay.’   
That should make life interesting.” 

“Yeah, but where’s the story behind the story? Where’s the juicy stuff? Where’s the dirt?” Cat questioned.

Carrie looked ahead and smiled. “I think that’s coming up right now.”

Lois comes into the newsroom, mud-splattered, and looking exhausted. She drops a muddy trash bag onto her desk and everyone looks at her. 

“Lois, what happened?” Jimmy questioned.

“Nothing, nothing at all.” Lois said, a near hysterical tone in her voice. “Oh, you’re referring to my appearance? Well, after hours of tramping through mud, and filth, and frogs, and things, I have a perfect right to be a bit…disheveled.” She said as her voice rose. “By the way, did you know it’s possible to get completely lost at Metropolis sewage reclamation facility? And did you know that there are billions of mosquitos there? I do. I met them!” she yelled. “Of course, my little trip to hell wasn’t a total failure. I did find this.”

Lois unwraps the trash bag and pulled out a large Godzilla toy with an ‘S’ painted on its chest. Jimmy grins over at Carrie, who keeps her face stoic. Suspicious, Lois storms over to Carrie’s desk and produced a map. “You wouldn’t happen to know sent me this, would you?” she asked before spotting the paper on the desk and looked at it before putting it back down. “You got the story? You?”

“Yep.” Carrie replied before throwing what Lois had told her back into the woman’s face. “Consider this a life lesson, Lois. Free of charge.”

“Uh-huh.” Lois said, a growing fury in her voice before her voice turns blank. “You set me up.”

“Yes I did.” Carrie replied without bothering to lie.

“You won.”

Carrie raised a brow. “I didn’t ‘win.’” She said shaking her head.

“Yes you did. You got the story, and you took me down a peg in the process. I guess I deserved that.”

“You really did.” Carrie agreed nodding her head.

Lois ignored that as she continued. “You worked hard, you’ve earned you’re success.”

“Thanks, I guess.” Carrie said shrugging.

“Cherish this moment, Caroline. Because you’ll never experience this moment again.” Lois said before turning on her heel and headed for the showers.

Carrie shook her head and sat down at her desk, a smirk starting to form on her face as she thought to herself, ‘Never say never.’


	3. Chapter 3

Carrie typed away at her computer as she was finishing up her article for the planet, the subject something she could relate too. She stopped as she saw Lois out of the corner of her eye and resisted the urge to roll her eyes. “Adopted kids looking for their birth parents, if you have to know.” She explained tersely.

Lois ticked off points on her fingers with each word she said next. “Search for roots. Emotional roller-coaster. Unrealistic expectation. Tear-jerker reconciliations.”

“Quick study.” Carrie said feeling a grudging sense of being impressed.

“Not really, I did it three years ago.” Lois replied.

The impression left Carrie. “There are no old stories, just new angles.” She said sagely.

“Seems to me if your real parents don’t care enough to raise you, then why give them a second thought?” Lois questioned.

Carrie felt a silver of anger churn in her chest. “Because if they gave you away, they must have had a reason”-‘Like if they’re dead.’ She added silently-“And it’s not the knowing that kills you.” She can tell that this is lost on Lois.

“Good, you can take the touch-feely stuff; I’ll take Superman.” She said.

Carrie watched Lois leave with and really rolled her eyes. Why was she still trying to be nice to her again? She shook her head as she went back to typing on her computer when the elevator doors suddenly opened at the same time and middle-aged man and a dozen men in black suits came in, the middle-aged man holding a document over his head.

“This is a warrant issued by Feral Court.” He said and several agents spread around the room and blocked the exits. “Everyone: step away from your desks!”

Perry burst from out of his office and intercepted the man. “Nobody comes busting into my newsroom like this!”

The man handed him the warrant. “Take it up with Washington.”

Perry looked over the document. “Order to produce evidence…compel testimony…” his voice took on a shocked tone. “Lois Lane and Caroline Kent!”

An agent starts going through Lois’ desk and the woman literally starts trying to pull the man away with her own hand. “Wait a minute!” she exclaimed as a second agent tried to pull her off the first agent and soon becomes too much as a third agent also tries to restrain her. “Get your hands off me!”

The middle-aged man waved them away. “Let her go, she’s just a reporter.” He said coldly.

Lois breaks free and glared at the old man. “Reporter, as in, protected by the Constitution.”

“Impressive document.” The man replied. “It gives the court the authority to issue warrants like this one. Which says I get what I want.”

Carrie felt the need to clear up the confusion she’d been feeling since the men in black came into the newsroom. “What exactly is that?”

“Miss Kent, I presume?” The man asked and Carrie nodded. “I want Superman, and I’m not leaving until you tell me where I can find him.”

Carrie felt her face freeze in shock at the news before she and Lois are sent to the editor’s office by the chief. She nervously grabbed a piece of blank paper and shot it into the waste basket as she saw Lois look through the blinders and just as the ball was about to miss, she used her super breath to blow it in. 

“Do they honestly think if we knew where Superman was we’d hang around this place?” Lois asked turning around just as the paper ball fell into the basket and the door opened a moment later.

“Okay, here’s the deal. They want the two of you to take a polygraph-” Perry began before Lois cut him off.

“What?!”

“-limited to national security concern about Superman-” Perry continued before Carrie cut him off this time.

“-a lie detector?!-” she yelled feeling the nervousness strengthen.

“-so I told them to stuff it.” Perry finished. “Not my reporters, no thank you.”

“Right.” Carrie said feeling immensely more relived.

“Good for you.” Lois said nodding approvingly.

“I told them if they’re bound and determined to take your computers and your notes to get it over with and get out of the office so we can start suing their butts off into next century.” Perry explained.

“Take my computer?” Lois asked, her face changing to disapproval. 

“You talk, they walk. You don’t, they’re gonna confiscate the whole shebang.” Perry replied.

“Perry, everything I’ve ever done, or thought about doing is on that computer. All my contacts, all my research…my novel!” Lois exclaimed.

Carrie raised a brow and Lois shot her a look. “Don’t you back up onto floppy disks?” she knew she did.

“Caroline, this is no time to discuss your compulsive behavior.” Lois said flippantly and Carrie suppressed a sneer as she got her answer.

“So what are we going to do, folk? I’m with you either way.” Perry said.

Carrie frowned as Lois shrugged. “What about the First Amendment Lois?” she questioned.

“Caroline, to these guys the First Amendment is a pesky little detail.” Lois replied.

“I can’t do this.” Carrie replied and didn’t want to look overly suspicious. “We can’t!”

“Caroline, if we knew anything, I’d agree. But this is like taking a polygraph about the ring-tailed lemur.” Lois explained and Perry nodded before he looked at Carrie.

“She’s got a point. We don’t know enough about Superman to lie.” He said before noticing the wavering look on Carrie face. “Kent, you know something you haven’t told us?”

Both of them look at her, Lois’ expression being especially angry, so Carrie shook the suspicion off again. “No,” she lied, “I don’t know anything.” 

\------------------------------------------------------------------------

Carrie felt her rapidly beating pulse as she stood with her back to two of the men in black as she heard them starting Lois’ polygraph in the next room. 

“You will answer ‘yes’ to these first two questions. We use this to calibrate the machine.” The voice of the middle-aged man says. “Is your name Lois Lane?”

“That’s what the by-line says. Yes.” Lois replied.

“Are you President of the United States?” The man asked.

“Yes.” Carrie can hear the sarcasm in Lois’s voice as she feels her pulse begin to slow.

“Do you have any reason to believe Superman is an agent of a foreign power?” The man asked.

“Yeah, and leprechauns are agents of the I.R.A.” Lois replied.

“Is Superman from another planet?” The man asked and this made Carrie frown. Sure, she knew this, but figured the public was just speculating this, not expecting the government to get involved.

“If something looks like a duck, walks like a duck and talks like a duck, the chances are pretty good it is a duck.” Lois retorted and paused. “He looks like a man to me.”

Carrie rolled her eyes. ‘I don’t know whether to be insulted or not that my disguise works very well.’

“During the time you two were alone; did Superman discuss his mission here on Earth?” The man asked.

“Mission? We flew. We didn’t talk. We didn’t have to.” Lois replied.

‘More like I didn’t wanna talk.’ Carrie thought.

“Non-verbal communication.” The man said quietly to someone else, probably the one manning the polygraph. “Does Superman have any telepathic power?”

‘Ha! I almost wish I did.’ Carrie thought.

“I hope not.” Lois said and Carrie felt nausea at that and decided that maybe it was better that she didn’t know what people were thinking as she caught onto what Lois was suggesting. 

“Have you any romantic attachment to this Superman?” The man asked and Carrie grimaced, lucky that no one could see it. She heard Lois laugh and the man asked, “Yes or no?” in an annoyed way.

“No.”  
Even Carrie doesn’t need to see the machine to know that’s a lie, even as Lois is let out and she is strapped into the same seat.

“You will answer ‘yes’ to these first two questions. We use this to calibrate the machine.” The man said using the same speech he gave Lois and paused. “Is your name Caroline Kent?”

“Yes.” Carrie replied.

“Are you also Superman?” The man asked.

‘Why the hell would you ask a girl that?’ Carrie thought and noticed the looks she was receiving before she realized she’d said that out loud. “Uh, yes.” She mumbled as her face flushed in embarrassment. She begins to grow concerned when she sees the technician and the man talking quietly, her super hearing picking up the conversation.

“Why isn’t this reading as a lie?” The man asked.

The technician smacks the side of the machine with his hand. “Either the machine’s broken again or this reporter’s so mild-mannered she hasn’t got a pulse. Ask her again.”

The middle-aged man looked at her. “Remember to answer ‘yes’ now. Are you Superman?”

Carrie looked at the needle on the machine. “Yes.” She said aiming a short burst of super breath at it and the needle shoots all the way up.

“Working.” The technician said.

“Alright, Miss Kent, let’s proceed. Have you ever met Superman?” The man asked.

Carrie felt her already heated face burn more. “Meet him? I’ve seen him in action if that’s what you mean, but we haven’t actually has a conversation…” she trailed off and wanted to slap herself for babbling and cleared her throat. “Yes, we’ve met.” She felt herself begin to levitate out of her seat and clamped her hands down on the arm rests and a slight cracking sound echoed in the room.

“Is he from this Earth?” The man asked.

Carrie thought about this from latching onto a way to tell the truth without giving anything up about herself to this man. “I know if he is.” She said making sure to use the male pronoun.

“Can you take us to Superman right now?” The man asked.

Carrie frowned. “Take you…?”

“Can you contact Superman?” The man fired off before she could answer.

Carrie’s worry comes back and she clutches the seat even more, the cracking getting louder “Uh, you mean by phone or something?”

“By any means possible. Telepathy, for example. Can you contact Superman?” The man asked.

Carrie used the male pronoun to keep herself from lying. “No, I cannot contact him.” ‘Because there is no ‘he’.’ She thought silently.

And agent with a headset interrupted the man next. “Perimeter’s been penetrated.”

The middle-aged man frowned and nodded as the agent left, the technician began dismantling the polygraph. “Miss Kent, I don’t need a polygraph to tell me when I’m being lied to. I can see it in your eyes.” He said sternly. “We’re not finished.” He said before leaving the room with the technician.

Carrie sighed as she stood from the chair, the entire collapsing to the floor as its support was now gone. She left the room as well and when she got to the room, Perry was barking out orders, the agents nowhere to be seen.

“Biederman, let’s get legal on this right away.” He said and looked over at her and Lois. “Lane, Kent, type up your notes and give them to Valdes, she’s writing this.” He said and clapped his hands together. “Rest of you, get back to it.”

As everyone got to work, Lois intercepted Perry. “What do mean ‘type up your notes’? This is my story!”

“Our story.” Carrie corrected.

“Seniority.” Lois shot back without looking at her.

“You two are the story right now. In case those goons come back with subpoenas, I want you out of here A.S.A.P.” Perry replied.

“I guess I can work at home.” Carrie replied shrugging.

“Home?! Anywhere but home. Don’t be where they can serve you. Wear your beepers. We’ll call you.” He said and shook his head. “What a week for Rich to start.” He muttered before walking off back to his office. 

Carrie watched Lois leave and was about to leave before Steve sauntered up to her. “Since you’re a woman in hiding this is the perfect time for you to have dinner at my place.”

Carrie blinked and her mouth shot off before she remembered that she still owed him that. “You and me?”

“Unless you think we’ll need a chaperone.” The blond man said haughtily.

Carrie bit her lip in thought before nodding. “Sure.”

The blond smirked. “It’s a date then.”

“It’s not a-” Carrie tried to rebuke this claim but the blond was already gone and she sighed as she finished lamely, “date.”

\----------------------------------------------------------------------

After work had ended, Carrie and Steve walked into the blonde’s apartment and she looked around at the sports memorabilia, most of which was signed, and there was even a picture of the man in his old Metropolis Meteors football clothing. 

“I think a Pinot Noir would be nice, I’ve got one chilling.” The blond said moving into the kitchen and pulled out a bottle from the refrigerator and began pouring the wine into two glasses. 

Carrie watched through the pass-through counter. “You certainly have a nice place.”

Steve shrugged. “I’ve got money to spend since my football days still…” he trailed off and his expression darkened somewhat.

Carrie wisely chose to avoid asking him to clarify as she knew about his accident from the news. “You’re place certainly show how much you love your job.” She said kindly.

The blond smirked at her. “Well you haven’t seen the bedroom.” He teased and the dark-haired woman cringed back. “Relax.” He chuckled. “I’m not gonna let you see it on the first date.” He said winking.

Carrie blushed brightly at that. “You’re full of surprises aren’t you?”

“You have no idea.” Steve replied, his smirk widening. He grabbed a tray of cheese and crackers and two of them went to sit on the couch. “You know, you’re really pretty.”

Carrie paused at that and stared at him in surprise before looking down at her plain beige pants suit. “Uh, you’re kidding right?”

“No, I really mean it.” The blond replied and there was a certain sincerity in his voice that Carrie had never heard before. “I won’t lie, my reputation around the Planet is that I like to chase women, but…” he looked at her strangely. “There’s just something…different about you than any of the others.”

Carrie honestly didn’t know what to say about that. On the one hand, this guy was a known womanizer and could just be playing her, but on the other hand, he genuinely sounded as though he meant what he was saying. Still, she couldn’t be sure if it was real, or if he was just very good at this. 

Luckily though, the sound of her beeper went off to keep her from commenting on the man’s words. “Must be the office.” 

Steve hands her the phone and she dialed the number. “Yeah?” she asked.

“Kent, there’s a new development. I’m sending Jimmy in the van to pick you up.” Perry said on the other end.

“Jimmy coming here?” Carrie asked before hastily covering her tracks. “Uh, I’ll grab a taxi instead.”

Steve looked at her as something flashed across his face and pressed the speaker button. “Where are you anyway?” Perry questioned.

Carrie pulled back from the phone as she looked at Steve with some annoyance and he just smirked back at her. ‘Apparently a prankster to the end.’ She thought sullenly. “Just a sec.” she said and tried to reach over to turn the speaker off, but Steve held it out of her reach. Carrie pulled back and scowled at him.

“Quit playing games, Caroline.” Lois’ voice shouted through the phone. “Where are you?”

“Carrie’s busy at the moment, why don’t you give her a few minutes.” Steve replied smirking as he pointedly hit the dial tone to end the call.

Carrie stared at him in disbelief. “You son of a-”

“Shouldn’t you be going to the Planet?” The blond questioned nonchalantly.

Carrie felt her brow tick in irritation as she put the phone back onto the stand and stormed out of the apartment. While her conflictions about him were wavering, this pranking her was the only thing keeping her at bay. 

\----------------------------------------------------------------------

When Carrie arrived at the Planet, she found Lois sitting at the table with a stack of files spread out before her. “Oh, look who showed up.”  
Carrie sighed. “You got the wrong idea here, Lois.”

“Steve Lombard’s bedroom has more comings and goings than Metro Station. You’re just another commuter.” Lois pointed out.

Carrie sighed in frustration and wondered if Lois had just been another commuter. “Just tell me what’s going on.”

“What’s going on is that the warrant’s phony.” Lois said.

Carrie flinched and sat into a seat. “Phony?”

Perry came into the room at that point with a computer print-out. “Phony as a lock of Elvis’ hair from a Memphis souvenir shop. Our lawyers called Justice, F.B.I, State, C.I.A. They even called Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms.”

“Nobody in Washington wants to claim those boys.” Lois added.

“So who are they?” Carrie questioned.

“All we know is that they think their job is to hunt down Superman.” Lois replied.

“Which makes it your jobs to find them first.” Perry said.

Carrie knew that this went further than journalism for her and into self-preservation.

\---------------------------------------------------------------------

Later in the day, Lois and Carrie sat at the woman’s computer with Carrie sitting in a chair as she looked at the screen. “That should read ‘A spokesperson for the FBI.’” 

“What?” Lois asked.

“Second ‘graph. You have it saying ‘The FBI says it has no existing operations concerning Superman.’ The FBI isn’t a person. It can’t speak.” Carrie explained.

“Caroline, that’s why we have editors.” Lois replied curtly and she glared at the approaching blond man.

“Morning Lois, Carrie. Sleep tight?” Steve asked before kissing Carrie on the cheek. “I did.” He said smirking and walked off.

Carrie let out an annoyed breath when she noticed Lois looking at her. “Nothing happened.” She stated.

“Caroline, you can do the horizontal rhumba with the entire MetMeteors for all I care, but it seems only one was needed.” Lois said hotly as she took the story out of the printer and walked off. “Just keep your hands off my copy.”

Carrie let out another frustrated sigh as she put her head in her hands and rubbed her temples when she noticed Jimmy approaching.   
“Hey, CK, it’s all over the newsroom.” He said and Carrie looked up in confusion, but there was a sinking suspicion in her stomach. “You and the Slinger. I didn’t think anybody could come up with something better than yesterday’s raid, but you’ve done it.”

“I haven’t done anything.” Carrie replied weakly. “He set me up and I owed him dinner.”

The young man sat down next to the dark-haired woman. “Yeah, it kinda would explain why he’s still being so nice to you.”

“Excuse me?” Carrie asked.

“Well, usually he just bags and tags em, and then pretends like nothing happened.” Jimmy explained. “You should have seen how angry Lois got when he…oh, here she comes.” He whispered before giving Carrie a light slap on the back and said in a louder voice, “Great piece of journalism there, CK” before leaving.

“Sorry to interrupt your bonding time, but we have a break in the story.” Lois said and Carrie nodded as she stood from her seat.

\-------------------------------------------------------------------

Carrie and Lois walk into the building and she noticed a man sitting behind a desk, a Mr. Thompson if she was correct. “So you just flew in from Washington?” she questioned.

“Bullet train. I’m not much for flying.” Thompson corrected. “You?”

Carrie doesn’t have time to reply when Lois cuts in with her business-like tone and places a small tape recorder on the desk. “Who exactly do you work for?”

“I’m a kind of government ombudsman. I go where the problems are.” Thompson replied. “Right now my job is to get to the bottom of this ‘incident’ at the Planet.”

“That’s our job too. What can you tell us?” Lois questioned.

“Not much.” Thompson replied. “The first step in our investigation is to gather all eyewitness accounts.”

“Your investigation?” Lois asked incredulously. “What about our investigation?”

“That’s the other reason I’m here.” Thompson explained. “Understand that we do not take it lightly when someone passes themselves off as an agent of the U.S government. Can you give us a physical description of the people involved?”

Lois looked furious at this. “Let me get this straight. You’re here to interview us?”

“Well yes, but also to advise you to stay out of harm’s way. Anybody who would do this is a danger…”Thompson trailed off as Carrie uses her X-ray vision to see inside the suitcase sitting on the desk. 

Carrie looked at a file labeled “Incident Analysis: Eyes Only.” She looked further and sees several locations marked down on the file that include Roswell New Mexico, 1947, White Mountains Arizona 1976, Gulf Breeze Florida, 1986, Voronezh USSR, 1989, but her heart beats in her ears as she saw one location and date marked, Smallville Kansas, 1966, the day she arrived on Earth. 

Carrie felt her breath quicken and she managed to hide her reaction to the news she’d read when Lois broke her out of her thoughts. “Come on, Caroline. Let’s go.”

Carrie looked at Lois as the woman shut her notebook and reached for the tape recorder. “Go?” she asked, keeping the daze of her voice.

“It’s obvious Mister Thompson here doesn’t know anything.” Lois said and Carrie felt uneasy about this as they leave the building and she decides to follow up on the Smallville connection. 

“You know, Lois, I’m not feeling that great. Maybe I should go home and lie down.” She said.

“Sometimes you just have to put yourself about the story.” Lois replied with an over sincere tone.

Carrie really felt the need to lie down now. “I don’t want to leave you in the lurch.” She said hastily.

“You’re not. It’s not like we’re a team or anything. Do you want a ride?” Lois questioned.

“I’ll walk.” Carrie replied. “Maybe some fresh air will help.”

Lois gestured to a nearby phone booth. “I think I’ll make some calls.”

“I’ll meet you back at the paper.” Carrie replied as she began to walk away. 

“Sure, feel better.” Lois called after her and started to go her own way.

Carrie hurriedly finds cover in an alley before quickly opening her case and changing into her Superman costume and takes to the sky, while making sure to keep a look out for any suspicious air crafts that could very well try and shoot her out of the sky. 

Once Carrie was sure she was out of occupied space, she put her clothing on over her suit, but took the man-suit off and put it back in the suitcase. It was difficult to do this in the air, but with her super speed it was much easier. She landed on her parent’s porch and straightened out her clothes. 

\--------------------------------------------------------------------

Later at the dining table, Carrie’s expression is far off and her parents take notice of this.

“You don’t like vegetarian do you?” Martha questioned and Carrie doesn’t answer as she continues to star off into space.

“She’s confused. She probably doesn’t know whether to plant it or eat it!” Jonathan exclaimed.

Carrie jumped a little and used her super speed to eat her meal and in a moment her plate is clean and her glass is empty, wiping at her mouth with a napkin afterwards. 

“Looks like she missed you cooking.” Jonathan pointed out.

“Carrie, honey, you just inhaled that. Something’s on your mind, isn’t there?” Martha asked.

Carrie paused and decided to come clean. “I want to hear everything you know about how you found me. Everything.” She said putting special emphasis on the last word.

“It was May 17th, 1966. We were just driving past Simpson Quarry, just due west of the Elbow River.” Jonathan started.

“We saw this thing in the sky.” Martha picked up. “At first we thought it was one of the I.C.B.M.’s.”

“But that ship came streaking across the sky in front of us. It was hard to ignore.” Jonathan added.

“We found you and took you home. Your eyes were so big and wide, and that diaper-thing they had you in made you look so cute-” Martha said before Jonathan interrupted.

“Martha! There were some men who were around town a few days later, asking questions.” He said.

“What kind of men?” Carrie asked carefully.

“They said they were with the space program. Said they thought some debris from a Russian satellite came down around here. Wanted to know if we knew anything about it.” Martha explained. 

“What’d you tell them?” Carrie questioned.

“Nothing.” Jonathan said firmly.

“There was something about them. Something scary.” Martha added.

“We didn’t want people who’d shoot you into space to get their hands on you. We figured even if were a Russian, you were only a baby Russian.” Jonathan replied.

“Is that what you thought I was? A Russian experiment?” Carrie questioned. 

“Honey, we didn’t care if you were a Russian or a Martian, you were ours. That’s all we knew and weren’t giving you to anybody.” Martha replied. “That’s why your father went back to where we found you.”

“We figured that spaceship has to be destroyed so nobody’d ever have any evidence of how you got here.” Jonathan explained. “I planned to burn it good, the haul it to the dump.” He said as his expression turned stricken.

While Carrie would have liked to have seen the ship herself, she couldn’t fault her parent’s decision. “Dad, it’s okay. Destroying it was probably the right thing to do.”

“Probably was.” Jonathan agreed and paused. “But I didn’t.”

“Jonathan!” Martha exclaimed in shock. “Why didn’t you tell me?”

“I couldn’t, Martha.” Jonathan replied and looked at Carrie. “It was part of you, kid, I just couldn’t.”

\----------------------------------------------------------------

The three Kents walk under the light of the moon as they come to stand at the crash site and Jonathan paced from a tree with a pioneer wagon wheel leaned against it, putting one foot in front of it and him. “68 paces due north. Thirteen paces west.” 

“Are you sure this is the right place?” Martha questioned.

“That’s the wagon wheel. Hasn’t moved in over twenty-five years.” Jonathan replied.

Martha noticed Carrie’s worried expression. “Are you okay, honey? I know this must be hard on you.”

“What’s hard is the not knowing.” Carrie replied. “My parents had to give me up. Why? What happened to them?” she questioned and saw her mother look away. “You and dad are my parents. You know that. Nobody will ever replace you.”

“Oh, we know, Carrie. You wouldn’t be…you, if you didn’t have questions.” Martha said delicately. “Maybe we shouldn’t have told you that you were adopted.” She said wearily.

“That would have been hard after I started to pick up pick up the couch.” Carrie said humorously as her mother smiled at her.

They see Jonathan stop walking and he points down at the ground. “Six feet down.”

Carrie took off her jacket and her mother raised a brow at the red blue suit of her costume underneath. Carrie shrugged and stepped where her father was when he moved back and she began to spin like a top, going faster and faster until the dirt flew away and a hole formed. “Dad, are you sure about this?” she asked from the bottom.

“Hundred percent, right there.” Jonathan said. Carrie flew out of the hole and landed on the ground as her parents look into the empty hole. “You don’t forget something like this. It was here!”

Carrie lowered her glasses and looked around. “Not anymore.” She said and came to the conclusion that it must have been stolen. The thought filled her with dread.

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------

In the Daily Planet library, Carrie looked through a hood device as she searched the records of a microfilm machine and finally settled on one of several Air Force officers at a news conference from the 1960’s. The headline reading UFO sighting Really Swamp Gas. 

Carrie used her X-ray vision to zoom in onto one of the men in the photo and focused as he found a young man that looked like the younger version of the one posing as a government agent that raided the Planet. She sawt back in her seat as Lois approached.

“Feeling better?”

“What?” Carrie asked dazed before hastily recovering. “Oh, sure. How’s it go yesterday?”

“Well, I tailed our man Thompson into a furniture warehouse on Bessolo Boulevard. I waited around a while, but I lost him.” Lois replied.

“Maybe he went out the back entrance.” Carrie suggested.

“Definitely weird, but he works for the government.” Lois said. “What’d you dig up?”

“Nothing.” Carrie replied shortly.

“So what are you looking at?” Lois questioned before pushing Carrie aside and peered into the machine and shook her head. “Project Blue Book? Caroline, the Air Force got out of the U.F.O business in 1969. This is old news. Way old.”

Carrie reframed from speaking about how this was important to her. “You’re right, it was just a hunch. Didn’t pan out.”

Lois pulled back before leaning back in. “Just a hunch.” She said before pulling back again. “The airman in the background. He’s the piece-of-word who raided the Planet, isn’t it?”

“Maybe.” Carrie said lightly before indicating her glasses. “My eyes aren’t that great.”

“Well, I have perfect vision. Superman doesn’t see like I do.” Lois said smugly and looked at the picture again. “Jason Trask. That’s our man.” She said. “Almost missed that one, rookie.”

\--------------------------------------------------------------

Perry looked at the two women in his office after they told him of their findings. “So we know Trask was the in the Air Force, right?”

“No military service record. Disappeared into thin air in 1969.” Carrie replied.

“Keep looking.” Perry said.

“I got just the place. The other guy in the photo? General Burton Newcomb. Retired, lives in Metropolis.” Lois added.

“What are you waiting for? Get packed and get going.” Perry said shooing them out.

Lois and Carrie go to their desks when Carrie saw Steve approach and he ran his hand over her back. “You wanted to talk?” he asked.

Carrie sighed and nodded. “I can’t now, but …” she paused and decided to get the general thing of what she wanted heard. “Look, Steve, somehow everyone thinks we were swinging from chandeliers wearing black leather the other night.”

“Well, we were interrupted.” Steve retorted.

“I’ve got to go, but I’d appreciate it if you’d put a stop to this.” Carrie replied as she walked off.

The blond watched her leave and frowned to himself. “And ruin my fun?”

Lois walked over to her grimly. “It’s Thompson.”

“What is it?” Carrie questioned.

“He’s found. Metropolis Harbour. Coroner’s got him.” Lois replied.

\------------------------------------------------------------------

Carrie and Lois sit on a couch as they speak with the retired Air Force General, the room full of military memorabilia and a gun collection, Lois’s tape recorder sitting on the table next to some walnuts.

“Yesterday a man named George Thompson came to Metropolis. Today he’s dead.” Carrie stated bluntly.

“Regrettable. What’s that got to do with me?” Newcomb asked.

Lois handed him the photo of the newspaper clipping. “He was investigating your old friend Jason Trask.”

Newcomb stood and looked out the window. “Have either of you ever to keep a secret? A huge secret?”

Carrie shrugged, boy did she ever. “Sure.”

“Likes what?” Lois asked her.

Carrie ignored her as Newcomb started speaking again. “Keeping a secret eats away at you. It’s just a nibble at a time, but it adds up. And one day, you wake up and realize it’s consumed everything inside you.” He said and took the tape recorder, pulling out the cassette, taking a nutcracker and smashed the recorder. “We were just a small group when we started, but we all took special oaths when on the same day. August the second, nineteen-forty-seven. I was about your age.”

“You didn’t take an oath to protect people like Trask, did you?” Lois asked.

Newcomb paused for a moment. “You don’t need me to find Trask. He’s probably hiding in plain sight.”

“Like a used office furniture warehouse on Bessolo Boulevard?” Lois questioned.

Newcomb arched a brow. “Getting to him, though, that’s another matter. A man like Trask would not doubt be protected by an impenetrable security system.”

“Every system has a flaw.” Lois replied.

Newcomb removed a credit-card sized card with a magnetic stripe from his drawer and placed it on the corner of the desk, having the numbers, 3-9 on it. “Not this one I designed it myself. You’d need someone on the inside, to help you out. Now, assuming you could find such a person, you’d have to hope that person found a man like Trask so repugnant and his methods so un-American that he would chose to help you. That’s a tall order.” He explained before taking a rifle from the wall. “I’m going to count to three. When I turn around, I expect you to be gone. One…”  
Lois and Carrie look at each other before the “Two” sounded, and Lois took the card and they both left the complex.

“Three…”

\---------------------------------------------------------------------

Carrie and Lois stand outside a security system and Lois swipes the card and it unlocks. “And the General thought this was going to be hard.” She said stepping inside with Carrie following.

Carrie looked around the small room, which was completely empty and the door immediately shut behind them. “They must have added this since his day.” She said upon seeing the door ahead with no magnetic lock.

“There is no time to get smug.” Lois reprimanded.

Carrie glared at her. ‘Hypocrite.’ She thought before seeing the digital red case that said they had 45 seconds and Carrie stepped forward to being spinning the dial.

“Don’t tell me, safecracker?” Lois quipped.

Carrie ignored her as she used her super hearing and soon the miniscule clicks become a loud sound of the door being unlocked and the door opened. “The General said August 2, 1947. Eight right, two left, forty seven right.” 

“You are so weird, but it works for you.” Lois replied as she shakes her head and they continue in.

The room contains a large tarp area in the back with files and cabinets. “I don’t know about this, Lois. Where is everybody?” Carrie questioned suspiciously.

“Caroline, the thing about lucky is, don’t question it.” Lois replied and began to pull files out of the cabinet and came to a Spielbergian light-ship. “Give me a break. I’ve seen this movie.”

“Lois, these look like the genuine article.” Carrie replied.

“They’re too good. It’s got to be a set-up.” Lois said.

‘What if it’s not? What if people actually travelled in these? From far away?’ Carrie thought.

“There’s a story here, Caroline, but I don’t know if it’s UFO’s.” Lois replied.

“I thought you were the one who said if it walks like a duck-” Carrie started, only for Lois to cut her off.

“Don’t quote me to myself, Caroline.” She paused. “How did you…?”

Carrie saw a file labeled, Smallville Incident, 1966. She slammed the cabinet shut and lead Lois away by the arm toward the tarped area.   
“What are you doing?” Lois questioned.

“You don’t like their pictures; let’s see what else they have.” Carrie replied.

They see each item is marked by a date and location. “I suppose you think we’re going to pull one of these off and find a UFO?” Lois asked skeptically.

“I don’t know what we’re going to find.” Carrie replied.

“Eeny, meeny, miney, mo…” Lois trailed off as she removed one of the tarps to reveal a collection of twisted metal and beams. “This is just an Unidentified Salvage Yard.”

Carrie removed another tarp to reveal a real spaceship. “This doesn’t look like any scrap metal I ever saw.” She said feeling awed and moves along the ship.

Lois though stays where she is. “Caroline, do you really think…”

Carrie doesn’t here as she comes upon what is a fifteen foot entry vehicle that didn’t look earthly in any sense of the words and gently runs her hand down one of the metal beams, feeling the mysterious hieroglyphics and at the end there is a familiar ‘S’ insignia.

Carrie’s epiphany almost causes her knees to buckle and she spots a bagged artifact labelled ‘Smallville, Exhibit A’ which looks like it contained something round shaped. She took what appeared to be a small ball out the bag and it began to glow from the inside. 

Carrie sees that it’s a three-dimensional globe with mountains and valley and realized that it was Earth. The globe changed to a different scenery, one with a reddish tint and huge ice caps, and she realized that this was another planet. Carrie felt a rush in her as a long supressed memory came to mind. “Krypton.” She whispered.

Then, like that, Lois ruins the moment she’s having. “Caroline!”

Carrie quickly pulled the tarp back over the spaceship and when Lois wasn’t looking, she was about to put the globe in her pack when she thought better of it and put the globe into her pocket instead.

“Somebody’s coming.” She said but it was too late as Trask and his men surrounded them.

“How did you two get in?” Trask asked.

“That’s your problem.” Lois retorted.

“That’s correct. Getting out however, that’s your problem.” Trask shot back.

“People know where we are.” Carrie said making it up on the fly.

“Like…Superman. He’s going to come looking for us.” Lois said.

“Oh, I hope so. In fact, I’m counting on it.” Trask countered.

‘This isn’t good.’ Carrie thought and wondered what was going to happen next.

\------------------------------------------------------------------

Both Carrie and Lois were seated across from Trask and a couple of military soldiers in a military jet. They haven’t spoken, but they knew they were in trouble. Carrie was quietly grateful they took it at face value that she had nothing of interest in her pack, just Styrofoam. That did get her a strange look from Lois though.

“It’s a romance novel.” Lois said out of the blue.

“What?” Carrie asked more so confused than interested.

“My novel. It’s about a woman who dies without ever finding her true love.” Lois explained.

Carrie could see where that came from. “That’s not going to happen to you, Lois.”

“Yeah? Check it out, Caroline. These guys look serious.” Lois said nodding towards a group of soldiers huddled around an electronic device. “So, I told you, now you tell me.”

“Tell you what?” Carrie asked.

“What really happened between you and Steve? Not that I care, but it’s probably the best secret you go going, that and he still seems interested in.” Lois said, her voice becoming embittered at the end and Carrie shook her head. “If we get out of this, Caroline, you have to raise your standards.”

Two soldiers move to the main door and begin to unlatch it as Trask approaches. “I assume the two of you are familiar with the scientific method.”

“Advance a theory, submit it to a test.” Carrie answered.

“My theory is that at least one of you knows how to contact this alien creature Superman, probably through some form of telepathic communication.” Trask replied.

“And how do you plan to test it?” Lois questioned.

“If you suddenly become airborne at twenty-thousand feet, without a parachute, I have to assume you will focus all your energies toward contacting this Superman.”

“What if this theory of yours is wrong?” Carrie asked.

“Pushing the frontiers of science is not without risk.” Trask replied as the soldiers throw the door open and a blast of air entered the cabin.

“And what happens if Superman does show up?” Lois questioned.

“Does the worm need to know if the fish is going to be fried or charbroiled?” Trask asked before nodding at two soldiers that approached.

“Leave Lois alone, just use me.” Carrie said.

“No, I’ll go.” Lois said.

“Lois!” Carrie said as her voice became annoyed. “You don’t understand!”

Lois leaned over and whispered, “Take the one on the right.” She said as she stood and quickly elbows and kicks at Trask.

Carrie held in her sigh and stood, pinning the first soldier against the wall and she saw a gun trained on her. She paused for a moment as she saw Lois still struggling with Trask and she was almost out the door. Carrie ignored the soldier and as she grabbed her back didn’t feel the bullet bouncing away from her.

“Caroline!” Lois shouted as she went out the door.

“Oh great.” Carrie muttered as she dove out the door after the woman. She maneuvered herself over to a cloud bank and changed out of her clothing to reveal the costume she had on underneath, but also put on her wig and man suit. She appeared from the other side of the bank cloud and looked around for Lois before spotting her and hoped her things clothing could survive the fall until she could retrieve them.

“Superman…Superman…Superman…Superman…” Lois chanted and saw the ‘man’ closing in fast and scoops her up in ‘his’ arms. “You do read minds.”

“Not really, but I do have pretty good hearing.” Carried replied.

“Caroline. They’ve still got her, she may be hurt.” Lois said.

“Don’t worry; I’ll go back for her.” Carrie said assuredly as she lands onto the Daily Planet roof, the jet having been flying over Metropolis. “You’ll be alright?” she asked and saw the woman wasn’t responding. “Lois?” The woman just points up and Carrie also looked up to see a missile that’s headed toward her.

Carrie flew up and intercepted in, and as she begins to push it back, it explodes and she’s thrown backwards. She flew up back to where she last saw her stuff falling and she grabbed as she saw that it was still falling and flew back to the Planet. She looked around the lobby and made her way into a broom closet before changing back into her pants suit. She walked into the elevator and heard her named called before she was pulled into a hug by Lois of al people.

“You’re alive.” She said.

“Seems so.” Carrie replied sardonically.

Lois pulled back and looked at everyone else. “Hey everybody, if Caroline’s alive, that means Superman saved her and he’s alive!” Carrie felt her brow tick and now she really wanted to sigh, but that’s when Lois turned back to her. “What are you waiting for? We got a story getting bigger every second.”

\-------------------------------------------------------------

The SWAT team storm into the now empty room, Perry, Lois, Carrie, and Jimmy following suit as the SWAT team leader declared that it was all clear.  
“It was here, Perry, tell him.” Lois said looking at Carrie.

“She’s right.” Carrie nodded.

“UFO’s Perry. Unidentified flying objects. Only they’re identified. Bagged, tagged, and processed. Right here.” Lois said.

“UFO’s?” Perry asked skeptically.

“Yes! Don’t you see? Cover up. Big time. That’s what’s going on.” Lois said.

“Okay.” Perry replied.

“This story might be bigger than Superman.” Carrie added.

“We got cosmic Watergate here, Perry. I’ve got to get back and start writing.” Lois said.

“Well, now, here’s where I get off the bus you’re driving.” Perry said.

“We know what we saw!” Lois insisted.

“You two are the best. You tell me something, I believe you.” Perry replied. “Can’t let you write it, though.”

“Sure you can, Caroline and I corroborate each other.” Lois said.

“Not when you’re talking UFO’s.” Perry said gesturing to the empty room. “Lois, your physical evidence is gone. Trask is missing. Thompson’s dead. Your General Newcomb says he’s never heard of you. We run this thing; we look like the National Whisper. You’ll kiss your own careers good-bye and take the paper with you. Can’t let that happen. Sorry.”

Lois moved away, a bitter expression on her face. “Lois…” Carrie called.

“You realize what we’ve lost here, Caroline?” Lois questioned.

Carrie looked around the room and nodded. “Yeah, I do.” On the one hand, she doesn’t like Lois, she’d made that perfectly clear, but on the other hand…Carrie looked around the empty room again and made her decision on what to do.

No one would believe them if they said they saw UFO’s, but what if the source came straight from the mouth of one?

\---------------------------------------------------------------

Carrie flew into the Planet where she found Lois eating malt balls. “I hear you’ve been looking for me.”

“All my life.” Lois whispered without looking back and when she did turn to face her, her composure was all business. “Everybody’s looking for you.”

“I know. And I know you almost died because of that.” Carrie replied.

“Well, it did make that bungee jump I did last year seem pretty tame.” Lois said.

“I’m going to find that man and stop him. That’s a promise, Lois.” Carrie replied seriously.

“You know my name, but I don’t know yours.” Lois said.

“Superman seems to have caught on.” Carrie replied shrugging.

“Where are you from? I mean, you’re not from Kansas, that’s for sure.” Lois said.

“I’m from Krypton. A place called Krypton.” Carrie replied before pausing.

“Would you mind if I wrote some of this down?” Lois asked and after Carrie shook her head, she flipped open a notepad. “You seem to have all the…the parts…of a man.”

“I am a man, Lois.” Carrie replied, lying through her teeth. “Just like you’re a woman…” ‘Stop adding fuel to the fire.’ She thought scolding herself.

“I’m glad you’re here, but why are you here?” Lois questioned.

“To help.” Carrie said simply.

“I need more of a quote, you know? Like ‘I have not yet begun to fight.’ Or ‘Damn the torpedoes.’ If you said you were here to fight for truth, or justice, or the American way, something like that, that would be a quote.” Lois said.

“Can I back to you?” Carrie replied thinking it over.

“I’m a reporter, I have deadlines. I have an editor. Don’t they have newspapers on Krypton?” Lois questioned.

“Probably not like yours.” Carrie replied.

“Yeah, well, nobody has an editor like mine. If you’re here to help, this would be a good place to start.” Lois said.

Carrie thought it over. “Truth and justice sound good. You can use that.”

Lois wrote it down and saw the ‘man’ tilt ‘his’ head to the side. “What is it?”

“Someone’s in trouble.” Carrie replied.

“This is a job for Superman, right?” Lois questioned.

Carrie nodded and flew out the window to continue to help people. Looks like another job for ‘Superman’ indeed.


	4. Chapter 4

Carrie flew over to Metropolis square as she looked at the gathered assembly of people and felt a surge of giddiness at the fact she was, or rather, Superman was going to be receiving the key to the city and saw that the streets were lined with all sorts of Superman things; T-shirts, and toys, wind up dolls and bobble heads, even a life size cut-out of her.

She flew over to the platform and the mob of people starting cheering while she shook the hands of each person on the platform, and showed no sign of discomfort when she saw Luthor take the microphone and she stood by his side, even though on the inside she was very uncomfortable with standing beside the person who’d tried to kill her. 

“Ladies and gentlemen, good citizens of Metropolis, let us all welcome Superman to our fair city.” Luthor started off as the crowd applauded. “He came to us a stranger, but his good deeds have not gone unnoticed. As last year’s recipient of the Key to the City, I am honored to pass this on to our newfound friend.” He paused. “Madam Mayor, if you please.” Luthor removed the key from his neck and handed it to a dark-skinned woman in her early sixties as she stood up to the microphone.

“We take pride in proclaiming this day, Superman Day, and offering you to the Key to the City.” She said putting the key around Carrie’s neck and the crowd applauded again, all of the people chanting for a speech.

Carrie shyly stepped up to the microphone. “I…” she paused as she thought about what to say. “You’ve made me feel very welcome here and…” she trailed off as she saw all the stands and even the children in Superman capes, and she felt very uncomfortable. “Thank you.” She said turning to the mayor and repeated what she saw before slipping away past a corner. 

Carrie suddenly heard something that disturbed her and she ducked behind an abandoned store front, but the door bursts open seconds later and her eyes widened in fear, as she saw no windows to escape from and the ceiling was too low. 

She was barely able to react before her fan club was upon, fifty or more wild teenage girl kissing her, ripping her cape. She tried to hold them off, but she didn’t want to hurt them, no matter how embarrassing this situation was. 

\------------------------------------------

The next day in the Planet, the personnel was filing into the room, Lois stared dreamily out into space and Carrie rolled her eyes upon seeing this and could only guess that it had something to do with Superman. She felt herself get pulled in the other direction and was kissed on the cheek a second time by her blond headed admirer.“Morning sweetheart.” He said winking at her before taking the seat at the end of the table.

Carrie was rendered momentarily speechless and Jimmy rushed into the room. “Hey, CK, about that book you lent me on Robert Capa…CK?”

“Okay, boys and girl, let’s get started.” Perry’s voice rang out in the room and noticed the dark-haired woman staring in the other direction. “Caroline!”

“Right here, sir.” Carrie said snapping to attention.

“I take it you and Lois are on the Superman-Get-The-Key-To-The-City story?” Perry questioned.

“Yeah, we’re on it.” Lois replied.

Carrie smirked as she leaned over to the other woman. “Bored with Superman already, Lois?”

“I was right in front of him,” Lois said miserably, “and he didn’t even notice me.”

“Nothing to notice.” Cat quipped.

“Hey, anybody get a load of today’s National Whisper?” Jimmy said putting the tabloid down on the table which showed a picture of hundred dollar bills floating in mid-air, the heading line reading ‘Invisible Robin Hood Strikes Again!’ “It’s really smooth. This invisible guy breaks into the safe of one of the city’s most notorious slumlord, takes the money, and then hands it out to the tenants in one of his buildings.”

Lois picked up the paper and gave Jimmy a look. “Did you happen to notice the headline next to it? ‘Benjamin Franklin is alive and living in my electric blender?’”

“Cat…anything on the arrest of Councilman Stern last night?” Perry questioned.

“Let’s just say, the man was not cruising Sunrise Boulevard for a fourth for bridge. I’m on my way to a house of ill repute to interview the lady in question.” Cat replied.

“Aren’t those also known as ‘Cat Houses’?” Lois asked smirking.

“What a coincidence.” Cat replied.

“Friez, are you following up on the escape of that armed robber from the State Penitentiary, what’s his name?” Perry questioned.

“Barnes. Big manhunt started last night. They think he may be headed for Metropolis. Wanted posters go up today.” Friez said.

“What’s everybody sitting around for? We’ve got a…” Perry trailed off, only to have Jimmy finish it.

“Newspaper to run.”

\----------------------------------------------

Lois is at her desk when a man approached her. “Lois Lane? Murray Brown, Galactic Talent Agency. I’m looking for the big guy, the Superman. I figured ‘cause you wrote those articles you might know where I could find him.” 

“Well you figured wrong.” Lois said.

“I’ll leave my card just in case.” Murray said leaving a card on the desk.

Lois picked up the card and looked dryly at the man. “You’re a talent agent?”

“Artist’s representation.” Murray replied.

“And you want to represent Superman?” Lois questioned.

“Let me tell you something, cookie. Those buns of steel are money in the bank.” Murray said and Lois shook her head in disgust.

“Lois! CK! Look at this!” Jimmy shouted as the staff crowded in front of the TV.

“If you’re not seeing what I’m seeing, then you’re witnessing a miracle. Captured on amateur home video this morning, a catering truck, loaded with fancy treats for a political find-raiser, was high-jacked by the ‘Invisible Man.’” The reporter said as the video showed a catering truck stopping at a light and the driver is ejected from the truck, but no one is behind the wheel as it drives off. 

“That truck ended up at a fourth street shelter here in downtown Metropolis, where homeless families feasted on goose liver pate’ and cold lobster salad. Many thanks to the Invisible Man!” Linda added.

Jimmy noticed a worker a worker try to hand Lois a note, but she didn’t look away from the television and it’s handed to Jimmy instead and he opens it. “Lois…”

“One sec, Jimmy.” Lois replied.

“No one, as yet, has any clue to this unexplained phenomenon.” Linda said from the TV. “Is this real? Is this an illusion? All we can do is wait and ‘see.’ For LexLu Communications, this is Linda Montoya.” 

“Lois…” Jimmy tried again.

“What is it?” Lois asked.

“The Invisible Man’s wife wants to talk to you.” Jimmy replied.

“Very funny.” Lois said sarcastically.

“I’m serious.” Jimmy replied looking over the letter. “You spoke at her women’s group last October. ‘The Weaker Sex, Fact or Fiction’-made quite an impression on her.” He paused. “She’s here.”

“What?” Lois questioned.

“Waiting in the conference room.” Jimmy replied.

“Let’s check it out.” Carrie said.

“Why are you so interested?” Lois asked the other woman.

“Let’s just say I’m fascinated with the paranormal.” Carrie replied.

“Why doesn’t that surprise me?” Lois asked rolling her eyes.

“Go on, Lo. Might turn into something.” Jimmy said.

Lois shrugged. “Okay, I’ve got 10 minutes to kill. Who knows? Maybe she can also introduce us to Casper the Friendly Ghost.” She said before they moved toward the conference room to greet a plain-looking woman. “Mrs. Morris…”

“Helen, please.” The woman replied.

“Helen, what makes you think your husband’s invisible?” Lois questioned as she and Carrie took seats across the table.

“I saw him, or rather, I didn’t see him leave.” Helen replied.

“When was the last time you did see him?” Carrie questioned.

“In the flesh?” Helen asked and Lois rolled her eyes as she took a sip of coffee. “Well, it was Monday maybe a week ago…I think.”

“You don’t remember?” Lois asked.

“To be perfectly honest, we don’t see much of each other anyway. For the past several years he’s practically lived downstairs-in his laboratory. He’d come home late from work. I’d leave him dinner in the oven…you know how it is.” Helen replied, but neither Lois nor Carrie did know what that was like.

“He had a laboratory?” Carrie questioned and when Helen nodded, both Lois and Carrie exchanged a look.

\-------------------------------------------------

“So…you and your husband were having marital difficulties?” Lois questioned as she, Carrie and Helen stood in the small but sophisticated laboratory in the older woman’s suburban home.

“No, not really.” Helen said in consideration. “I mean, we never fought. We just stopped talking to one another, sort of slipped into a pattern. I guess…he lost interest in me.” She said pausing. “We’ve been married for twenty-seven years.”

“What happened the night he left?” Lois questioned.

“Well, he hadn’t touched his dinner so I came down looking for him. He wasn’t here, but I saw that door over there suddenly open.” Helen said pointing toward said door. “I heard him say ‘Goodbye Helen, see you around.’ And then he walked out. The door closed behind him.” she said and wiped away the tears that started to fall.

“What do you want us to do?” Lois asked putting an arm around her shoulder in concern.

“Write an article about him. Say that I want to know if he’s ever coming home. That…” Helen trailed off before finishing. “…I miss him.” 

Carried exchanged another glance with Lois as the two of them exited the house and walked down the driveway. “Poor woman. Her husband’s probably got something going on the side, walks out on her, and she thinks he’s turned invisible.” Lois explained.

“How do you know he isn’t?” Carrie shot back.

“Caroline, are you serious?” Lois questioned skeptically. “We’re talking about a figment of somebody’s overactive imagination.”

“Does everything in life have to have a perfectly reasonable explanation?” Carrie asked.

“Everything.” Lois said simply.

Carrie resisted the urge to shoot back about how ‘Superman’ didn’t fit in with her reason of logic. She believed ‘he’ was an alien, something Carrie wasn’t denying if asked, but Lois really couldn’t believe if someone turned invisible? “All grounded in clear, scientific reality?” she said sarcastically.

“Of course.” Lois retorted and Carrie scowled.

“No magic in the universe?” she asked.

“No werewolves or vampires loose in the city either.” Lois replied and Carried decided to forget about her earlier resistance. 

“What about Superman?”

“Huh?” Lois looked at her with a raised brow.

“Superman.” Carrie repeated in a patronizing tone. “There’s a guy living somewhere in Metropolis who flies Lois.”

Lois glanced up at the sky and shook her head in what appeared to be disgust. “Oh no, not him again.”

“Who?” Now it was Carrie’s turn to furrow her brow as she looked up as well and saw an airplane that has written: SMAN-CALL M. BROWN 1-555-I REP-YOU.

“Unbelievable!” Lois shouted. “The nerve of that guy.”

“He’s persistent.” Carrie said in observation.

“He’s a smarmy, money-grubbing opportunist! They all are!” Lois yelled. “Everyone wants a piece of Superman! Keys to the city, telethons, benefits…what’s next, a guest shot on A.M Metropolis? Where’s it all going to end?”

“Are you worried that all this will go to Superman’s head?” Carrie questioned with a frown.

“No, I’m worried he’ll forget about me.” Lois said petulantly and Carrie didn’t bother to resist scowling before she briskly kept on walking down the driveway.

\-------------------------------------------------

Lois and Carrie walked towards their desks when the former bumped into Jimmy. “How’d it go?” he asked.

“Dead end.” Lois replied.

“I don’t think so…” Jimmy said before turning on the TV set and Helen is being interviewed outside her home.

“He worked very hard to make himself invisible.” She said facing the camera awkwardly. “And I guess, he finally found out how. He was in that laboratory day and night. All I want to say is, Alan, if you’re listening, please come home.”

“Her nosy next-door neighbour sold the story to the wire services.” Jimmy explained.

“It doesn’t matter. There’s no story here, anyway.” Lois said before her voice seemed to emphasize the next part. “There is no such thing as an invisible man.”

Carried privately rolled her eyes before she felt a paper airplane bounce off her head and sent a glare towards Steve as he grinned unrepentantly back at her. She rose from her desk as she walked over to the coffee machine and reached for a glass just as another one did the same, making her jerk back.

“Whoa, easy there, I didn’t mean to startle you.” A male voice said in concern and Carrie looked slightly up at the man, who had short dark hair, fit, and had blue eyes. 

“No, my bad.” Carrie murmured back. “I…I don’t think I’ve seen you around here before.”

“I’m new, my name’s Richard.” The man replied and held out his hand, which Carrie grabbed and shook in return.

“My name’s Caroline.” The dark-haired woman replied softly and suddenly noticed Steve watching them with rapt attention, a strange expression on his face, but she ignored it in being polite to the new guy. “First few days are rough, aren’t they?” she questioned sympathetically.

Richard nodded and smiled at her. “You can say that again.”

Carrie felt her unease melt a little. “Well it was nice meeting you.”

“You too.”

\-----------------------------------------------------

Carrie and Lois walked into the robbed jewelers while following after Inspector Henderson and they took in the sight of the smashed cabinets while the Inspector shook his head. “No prints, no leads, no nothing.”

“Witnesses?” Lois questioned.

“To what? An invisible man? You’ll forgive me if I don’t call in our sketch artist.” Henderson retorted. “We’ve got a warrant out on this Morris guy, but how are we gonna find him?” he asked aloud as he walked away.

“Has everyone in the city lost their minds? There’s no such thing as an Invisible Man!” Lois shouted.

“The security guard in the hospital might disagree with you.” Carrie retorted as she paused and said in a more condescending voice, “At what point are you going to start believing in this?”

“When I don’t see it with my own two eyes.” Lois replied tersely as a police officer comes up to her and hands her a note, Lois opening it and read it over. “We have to go.”

\--------------------------------------------------------

Carrie looked around the destroyed laboratory as Lois sat down next to Helen and a bandage was on her forehead. “Helen, when did this happen?”

“A few hours after the news vans left.” Helen began as Carrie looked around and saw a thin shiny white reflective cloth on the counter. She saw it reflect strangely in the light as she lifted it to look more clearly at it before pocketing it. “I came downstairs and he hit me on the head. I haven’t called the police yet.”

“Has your husband ever been violent with you before?” Lois questioned.

“You think it was Alan?” Helen asked in disbelief. “Never. He wouldn’t hurt a fly. Really. If there was a fly in the kitchen, he’d spend half-an-hour catching it and setting it free.” 

“So what you’re saying is that some other invisible man…” Lois began and Helen finished the sentence.

“…is impersonating my invisible man.”

After once more exiting the house; the duo walk down the driveway again toward the Daily Planet News Van. “She’s still defending him. He bashes her on the head…” Lois began before Carrie cut her off.

“She said it wasn’t him, Lois.” She interjected. “Just because he’s a little eccentric…”

“Eccentric?” Lois scoffed. “Try a taco short of a combination plate.”

“Maybe, but he doesn’t sound like the man who’s been terrorizing the city.” Carrie pointed out. “I want to emphasize that in the story.”

“That’s slanted.” Lois retorted.

Carrie felt like pulling out her hair in frustration. “Lois, there’s no evidence to suggest that Alan Morris is an armed robber. The man was giving money away. Why is he now stealing it?”

“Fine, we write the story.” Lois relented. “But admit it, there’s a strong possibility that Helen is wrong about her husband. After all, nobody really knows anybody. We think to think we do, but we all wear disguises. Don’t you?”

Carrie gritted her teeth. “Uh, well…”

“I mean, in order to let someone really know you, you have to let them see you as you really are. And as soon as you reveal yourself to someone, they wind up using it against you.” Lois added.

Carrie frowned, and some part of her admitted this was a more realistic sense of what would happen if she ever revealed her secret to anyone. “But marriage is about sharing everything you have, even when you don’t feel like it.” She didn’t know why she was saying this, but she liked the idea of marriage and what it entitled at the very least.

Someone to love you exactly for whom you are…

“So is divorce.” Lois’s voice cut through Carrie’s thought like a knife. “Ask my mother.” She added and opened the door to the van. 

“Where too?” Carrie muttered.

“Home. I have to get dressed.” Lois replied.

“Hot date?” Carrie asked sarcastically.

“Uh huh.” Lois either didn’t realize that the other woman was being sarcastic or simply didn’t care.

Carrie raised a brow. “With who?”

“Superman.”

Carrie looked toward the road as she felt her eye start to twitch on reflex. 

\---------------------------------------------------

Carrie landed on the balcony and everyone hushed as a harpist starts to play a crescendo and she saw Cat rush to her side. 

“You certainly know how to make an entrance Superman.” She said and Carrie looked at the stage before her eyes grew wide in horror and looked at the banner on the wall that read ‘Auction Tonight-But a Date with your Favorite Celebrity!’

“I thought when they said celebrity auction…I didn’t realize…” she trailed off and suddenly wished she could leave right now.

“But it’s for a good cause. All the proceeds go to the Luthor Center for the Blind.” Cat replied and Carrie decided against   
leaving.

Speaking of Luthor, Carrie saw him on stage about to be auctioned. “And here he is, ladies. The fourth richest man…” The auctioneer started before Luthor corrected her.

“…third.”

“Third richest man in the world. Dinner and dancing next Friday night. Shall we start the bidding at…five hundred dollars?” The woman asked and the bids came in.

“Five hundred!” A matronly woman called out.

“One thousand!” Another woman called.

“Ten thousand!” The first woman yelled and the auctioneer hit her gavel on the podium. 

“Sold for ten thousand dollars!” she said and Carrie was led onto the stage by the woman. “And now, for something really special. A Super Date. A Sunday picnic in the clouds. So ladies, what will you give me for the Man of Steel?” she asked and Carrie felt the urge to cringe, at the need to correct the woman, and at the sudden frenzy of the crowd.

“One thousand!” One woman yelled.

“Fifteen hundred!” Lois shouted.

“Two thousand!” Cat also shouted.

“Twenty-five hundred!” Lois yelled.

“Five thousand.” The first woman said.

“Six!” Cat exclaimed.

“All right, you’ve made your point. Now…butt out.” Lois hissed at the woman.

“What’s the matter Lois, too rich for your blood?” Cat questioned.

“Eight thousand!” The first woman shouted.

“Nine!” Cat yelled.

“Fifty thousand dollars.” A beautiful woman called calmly with diamonds around her neck.

Carrie blinked in surprise, and she grudgingly felt a little flattered. 

“Fifty thousand! Going once, going twice…sold!” The auctioneer shouted as Carrie walked off the platform towards her future ‘date’ and exchanged information with the woman, who surprised her again by kissing her on the cheek before turning to leave.

Carrie felt flustered and quickly turned herself to walk back towards the balcony. She knew her ‘Superman’ persona was popular with people, particularly women, she cringed to think what would happen if everyone found out ‘he’ was actually a she, but Carrie pushed that thought out of her mind before taking off the balcony, only stopping when she heard someone calling her.

“Superman! Wait! It’s Murray! Murray Brown.!”

Carrie floated back down and frowned somewhat. “Look, Mr. Brown…”

“Supe-call me Murray. Arnold does. Listen…do you really want to trample through this jungle without someone to carry your loincloth? You may be able to leap tall buildings with a single bound, but in La La land, well…you’re just another guppy in a Great White tank.” Murray explained.

Carrie furrowed her brow. “I’m sorry, but…”

“Jeez. You’re squeezing me, pal. Okay, I wasn’t going to tell you this until after you’ve signed, but…” Murray leaned in. “We’ve had an offer.”

Carrie pulled back. “Offer?” she questioned in surprise and had to try and keep her voice male-ish.

“On the table.”

“From who?”

“Cleveland.”

Carrie raised a brow. “The Browns?”

“No, the city.” Murray corrected her. “They want you. Bad. Metropolis doesn’t have an exclusive, you know.”

“Sorry Murray, I’m not interested.” Carrie replied. “I’m not for sale. Please leave me alone.” She said before leaping into the air as Murray kept trying to make a deal.

“Forget Cleveland. I’ll give you three little words-Rio De Janeiro… Hey! Hey! I’m talking here!”

Carrie rounded down the back of the building to where she stashed an earlier change of clothes and quickly changed completely out of her costume, man suit included before putting on the pale blue dress she had packed into her bag when she’d left for Metropolis after doing her travelling. 

The woman had planned on wearing it the first time she’d went out, but had been forced to play a guy for nothing. Well, not completely for nothing as she got an idea out of it. She liked the style of the dress, sleeveless and with only one strap going over the shoulder, the skirt end grazing against her ankles as she put on her white booties and took the wig off, her hair cascading down her back as she stuff all her things into her pack and hid it again before hurrying into the building to meet with Lois.

She stops just short of the door and goes in, trying not to be noticed, and she certainly achieved that before walking over to Lois’ table, who’s pouring herself a glass of champagne and sits down next to her. “A date with Superman, huh?” she started off.

Lois glanced at her before her eyes narrowed in surprise. “What are you doing here? No glasses? Did the barn dance let out early?”

Carrie brushed off the glasses comment, mumbling a lie about contacts for the night before her voice grew louder and more caustic. “I filed the Morris story. You’re very welcome.”

Lois though looked like she was tuning her out. “I was saving for Tahiti. But a date with Superman…that would have been a real adventure.” She said pausing. “Oh Caroline, he doesn’t even know I’m alive. Maybe it was stupid of me to think that he really cared.”

Carrie’s face was neutral. ‘I care about everyone.’ She thought with the conviction she knew she’d never be able to say aloud. ‘But I just don’t like you in particular.’ She added silently and decided that while she personally thought this woman was annoying, she was still her partner-whether either of them liked it or not. “Not so stupid, Lois. Did you ever think that maybe Superman was afraid to reveal himself…”she trailed off and forced herself to bite out the next words, wondering why the hell she was adding to the fire. “…his true feelings?” she looked away to avoid letting the other woman see her grimace before looking back. “Come on, I’ll put you in a cab.”

\------------------------------------------------------------

Carrie watched Jimmy leave after asking him to retrieve something for her from the hall of records and approached Lois after she stopped to talk to Jimmy after getting out of the elevator. “What’d you get?”

“Not much. Morris’ supervisor knew what desk he worked at, but that’s about it.” Lois replied.

“But he worked there for almost twenty years.” Carrie pointed out.

Lois nodded. “You should have seen the place. A hundred lab techs in little cubicles-it was so impersonal. When he didn’t show up for work, they didn’t even bother to call him. Just replaced him.” she said pausing. “What did you find out at STAR labs?”

“The material’s a type of fiber optic. It’s designed to reflect visible light as ultra-violet light.” Carrie replied.

“Come again?”

“UV light is an invisible part of the spectrum.” Carrie explained.

“Are you saying that someone could really be invisible?” Lois questioned in amazement.

Carrie didn’t bother to conceal her eye roll. “Think of it as the next stage in stealth technology. If you wore a suit made of this kind of material, you could appear invisible.”

“That makes sense.” Lois admitted. “The appearance of invisibility is different from real invisibility.”

“You know Lois; it must be tough being right all the time.” Carrie said sarcastically. 

“Yeah, it is.” Lois said after a moment and Carrie shook her head with a frown before going over for another cup of coffee, Lois following after her.

“Hey you.” A male voice said and Carrie looked up at the man that was stirring a cup of cream into a mug.

Carrie felt an easy smile cross her face. “Hi Richard, funny seeing you over here again.”

Richard grinned back at her, but a frown crossed his face as a paper plane hit his head and glared over at Steve, who was glaring right back at him. “Is he always so juvenile? He’s been doing that all morning.”

“I’ll go talk to him.” Carrie offered before walking away, leaving Lois staring at Richard for a moment before he furrowed his brow and awkwardly walked away as well. Carrie put her hands on Steve’s desk as he sat with his hands behind his head and his feet on the table. “Knock it off, the guy’s new, not your personal project to torment.”

“I don’t like him.” The blond muttered petulantly and Carrie shook her head.

“You don’t even know him, so how can you dislike him?” Carrie questioned smartly and put on hand on her hip.

The blond had watched her action with rapt attention before snapping his eyes back to her face. “I just don’t.” he muttered again and Carrie sighed.

“Well lay off the pranks, from the sound of it they stopped being funny a while ago.” She said and without another word she went back to her desk.

\--------------------------------------------------

Truth be told, when Carrie had been called in the middle of the night by none other than Lois Lane, she was pissed off. The only thing that had stopped her from slamming the phone back down was ingrained good manners and the fact Lois had told her that the Invisible Man was in her apartment.

So after rushing out of her apartment over to the other woman’s, she and Lois were sitting on the couch facing Alan Morris as he began to speak.

“I was the invisible Robin Hood, but I’m not the one doing all these bad things. There’s another invisible man out there!” he exclaimed while Lois and Carrie exchanged glances.

“Alan, let’s start at the beginning. Why?” Lois questioned.

“It’s very simply, Ms. Lane. I became invisible to become visible again.” Alan replied.

“I’m not following.” Lois said.

“Well, at some point, I don’t know when exactly, years ago, I just…disappeared. I went to work every morning, did the same thing. I drifted apart from my friends. Helen and I stopped talking. I guess she lost interest in me. I became so invisible in my own life, that I decided to so it for real. I started experimenting.” Alan explained.

“Where did you get the idea for the suit?” Carrie questioned.

“From a fluorescent light bulb. A fluorescent light bulb turns invisible light into visible light. I reversed the process. It took me fifteen years to build a working suit.” Alan replied before lifting the shiny metallic suit besides him and handed it to Lois, studying it carefully as she holds it up.

“How come I can see it?” she questioned.

“Because it hasn’t been activated. There are switches in the interior lining.” Alan replied. “Go ahead, try it on.”

Lois put the hood on, but left the faceplate open and Alan pressed the activation switch before Lois’ head disappeared, the only thing still seen being her eyes. “I knew it wouldn’t work.” She said before Carrie rolled her eyes.

“Somebody must have stolen my other suits.” Alan said.

“Someone did break into your basement.” Lois pointed out.

“Helen?” Alan asked in concern.

“Don’t worry, she’s fine.” Lois replied.

Alan sighed in relief. “Will you help me stop whoever’s doing this?”

“It’s not going to be easy. Invisibility is an incredible advantage.” Carrie explained.

Alan nodded while Lois walked over to the window and shook her head. “The man who could really help is Superman, but he’s probably signing a deal to star in his own TV series by now.”

“Superman?” Carrie asked. “Oh I don’t think so.” She paused and realized she was going to owe a certain blond a big favor after this was over. “Until this whole thing is resolved, you can stay with my…boyfriend.” She said as Lois raised a brow at her choice of wording.

“Are you sure he won’t mind?” Alan questioned.

Carrie smiled as she lied through her teeth. “I’m sure.” She said as they both walked over to the front door and Lois was about to close it.

“I’ll be over in the morning.” She said as she was about to shut the door when Carrie saw what was on her open robe.   
It was the familiar ‘S’ shield and Carrie shook her head, feeling greatly disturbed they made pajamas with her sigil on it. “Lois, not you too.” She didn’t dislike other women; really, she just didn’t like this woman, and seeing this only made things a lot worse. 

Lois quickly closed her robe and closed the door.

\-----------------------------------------------

Steve glanced out of the kitchen counter window at the man sitting on his couch while preparing to go to sleep and then back at the woman in front of him. This woman was asking for a lot, not to mention the nerve she had. “Is this some kind of payback for teasing the new guy?”

Carrie crossed her arms. “No, it’s not; I just don’t want him out where this other invisible man could nab him.” she replied.

“And of course dumping him on me is much cheaper than a hotel.” Steve muttered.

Carrie’s face turned regretful. “I’m sorry about this, I really am.”

Aw, he couldn’t stand seeing such a pretty face all morose. “Yeah, I know.” The blond muttered, his features softening up into an impish smile. “This just means you owe me.” Carrie winced, the tell being she must have wished he didn’t think of saying that. 

“I know.” She replied before walking out into the living room. “I hope you’ll be comfortable here.”

“Thanks, this will be fine.” Alan replied. “Though your boyfriend really doesn’t mind?”

Steve looked up with interest. Carrie had willingly said he was her boyfriend? “He doesn’t.” she said, not knowing Steve had witnessed her cringe at the word ‘boyfriend.’

“I know you must think of me as…some crackpot.” Alan mumbled.

“Not at all.” Carrie replied.

“You don’t have any idea what it’s like. People pass you by, and they look right through you. They never see the part you want them to see.” Alan said, more or less like he was speaking to himself.

Carrie was silent for a moment as she seemed to be thinking over what he’d said. “You’d be surprised, Alan. I’ll bet lots of people know what that’s like.” She said in a way that spoke from experience. “I have to go now, are you sure you’ll be okay here?”

“Don’t worry about me.” Alan replied. “If anything happens, I’ll just…fade into the background.”

Carrie nodded as she sent Steve a warning look before going out the door.

\------------------------------------------

Carrie looked down at the Superman paraphernalia on the table in front of her while speaking to her parents. “Can you believe this stuff? It’s all over Metropolis.”

“Not just Metropolis. Harley has a whole section in his feed store.” Jonathan replied.

“Although, I do think the doll is cute.” Martha admitted.

“Ma!” Carrie exclaimed. “They’re buying and selling Superman on street corners! I didn’t really care before, but after seeing   
Lois in a Superman pajama outfit…”

“You saw Lois in her pajamas?” Martha questioned.

“No! Well, yes, but it was an accident.” Carrie explained hastily. “When her robe came undone…” she stopped before she could dig a deeper hole. “The point is, they’re selling Superman off like a piece of meat!”

“Fifty-thousand dollars to help blind children. There’s nothing wrong with that.” Martha replied.

“Mom, I know it’s for a good cause…and I want to help.” Carrie replied. “It’s just that Superman has become a Super Star and I don’t know if he can keep up.”

It was just a little slip, but her mother noticed it immediately. “What do you mean ‘he?’ Carrie, you speak as if Superman were someone else. There is no ‘he’ under that costume, you’re Superman Carrie.”

Carrie froze and felt her shoulders slump before she sat down next to her mother. “I guess I just feel like I’m losing myself to the man in the red, yellow, and blue outfit.”

Jonathan exchanged a glance with Martha before putting an arm around Carrie’s shoulder. “It’s the woman beneath the suit that we care about.”

Carrie paused as she thought about how irrational she was being about someone that wasn’t even real. There was no Super’man’ just a woman underneath trying to do good. She heard the Jack in the box music stop and out popped a flying Superman. Carrie felt her rage return full force and burn right up to her eyes and the toy was burned to ashes.

\-----------------------------------------------

“The city is gripped with fear this morning after last night’s break-out at the Metropolis Penitentiary. The Invisible Man freed an entire cell block holding some of the nation’s most vicious criminals.” Linda said from the TV monitor in the Daily Planet. “The driver of the bus sustained a bullet wound but is said to be satisfactory condition. The Police Commissioner urges the people of Metropolis to remain calm, but has ordered a ten pm curfew for tonight. He asks all citizens to make sure that all windows and doors to their homes are securely locked. For LexLu Communications News, this is Linda Montoya.”

Jimmy shut off the monitor as everyone is stunned into silence. “An army of invisible criminals.” Perry said.

“Something even Superman can’t fight.” Lois added.

Carrie looked around and felt a knot start to form in her stomach.

\---------------------------------------------

“This is impossible. Even after eliminating all the armed robbers still in jail or accounted for somewhere else, we’ve still got hundreds of suspects.” Lois said looking over the pieces of paper in the conference where she and Carrie were in the evening.

“Let’s go over it again. First, he robs a jewellery store, then a rare coin shop.” Carrie pointed out.

“Jewels? Collectors items? Precious metals?” Lois questioned.

“But not all precious metals.” Carrie replied in realization.

Lois glanced at the woman before picking up a paper and read off what was stolen. “A gold ring with emerald stones, gold chain, gold brooch, gold coins.”

“Gold, he steals gold.” Carrie said.

Lois looked up into the main room. “Jimmy!”

Soon enough Jimmy is there with an old newspaper article. “’Golden Boy’ Barnes and his gang all went down for the last job they pulled. Several of them were on the bus that he hijacked the other day.”

“We got him!” Lois shouted in joy.

“But how can we find him?” Carrie asked frowning.

“He’s bound to strike again.” Jimmy said logically.

“I know exactly where.” Lois said and as both Carrie and Jimmy stare at her, she holds the paper up and pointed at the headline. ‘Golden Boy Barnes and his Gang to Serve Time.’

\-------------------------------------------

Carrie felt uncomfortable about Lois coming by her home, but she wasn’t about to be rude for the sake of it and the other woman hadn’t done anything to annoy her-yet. “I’ll make some tea.” She said and after getting it done, they sat out on the rooftop.

“Nice tea.” Lois said absently.

“Lapsang Suchang. My mother used to make me tea and raisin scones when I was feeling bad. Years later, I had them for high tea at the London Savoy, but it never tasted as good.” Carrie explained.

Lois looked out at the skyline. “When we were little, Lucy and I’d play a game, we’d ask each other ‘what would you rather be able to do, fly or be invisible?’”

“And you chose…?” Carrie prompted.

“Invisible. I wished I could walk through all those closed doors. I guess I still do.” Lois replied.

“And what do you think you’ll find there, behind those closed doors?” Carrie questioned.

“I don’t know. Something different, wonderful…something I don’t have, or can’t have.” Lois replied. “So, what about you?”

Carrie furrowed her brow. “Huh?”

“Invisible or fly?” Lois asked.

“Fly.” Carrie said not missing a beat.

“Really?”

“Yeah.”

“I never thought I’d say this, Caroline. But we have something in common.” Lois said and since the woman wasn’t looking at her, she never saw the grimace that crossed Carrie’s face.

“What’s that?” she asked.

“Superman. We both want to fly with him.” Lois said and paused before giving Carrie a critical eye. “That is why, right?”

Carrie raised a brow, but didn’t bother dignifying it with an answer. 

\-------------------------------------------

Carrie finished changing into her Superman costume and made sure no stray strands were sticking out from her wig before walking into the living room to the futon where Lois had spent the night in her home. She feels the need to cross her arms impatiently when Lois wakes up.

“Superman!” Lois said staring at ‘him’ in wonder.

“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to wake you. I ran into Caroline at the Courthouse and she told me…” Carrie trailed off as Lois cut in.

“Caroline, where is she?” Lois questioned.

“Hall of Records, something about researching the past activities of the Barnes’ gang. Anyway, Caroline said you could use my help.” It felt like it should have disturbed Carrie in some way how easy it was to lie.

Lois stood from the futon. “Superman…I’m so happy to see you. I’ve been trying to get you to notice me, but you’ve been so busy. I was afraid that I’d become just another face in the crowd.”

‘You can’t be; you’re too annoying to not get noticed.’ Carrie thought scornfully, but instead said, “You’re not.” She assured her before becoming serious. “I need to find Alan Morris to get information about how to stop these men, do you know where I can find him?” she of course already knew where the man was, but she needed to be clean of this as it would be very suspicious if ‘Superman’ found the man without any prompt. 

“Oh, he’s staying with Steve Lombard, here; I’ll give you the address.” Lois said taking out a pen and paper, Carrie not commenting on how she could know where the blond lived, but if what Jimmy told her and Steve’s reputation, it wasn’t hard to see the conclusion. “Here.”

“Thank you.” Carrie replied before taking off from the balcony and flew over to the blonde’s apartment and knocked on the window lightly, seeing the man sleeping on the couch wake up and open the window. 

“I don’t believe my eyes, is it really you?”

“Good morning, Alan. I’m here to help.” Carrie said calmly. “First, I need some information from you.”

“Anything.” Alan said moving away from the window to let Carrie fly in.

“I know who has you suit, but even if they show up, I still can’t see them.” Carrie replied.

“Even with your X-ray vision?” Another voice questioned.

Carrie looked up to see Steve leaning against the wall to the kitchen and he raised a brow at her, and while his posture was relaxed, there was an edge in his eyes as if he was sizing her up. “No, because I still need visible light.” she answered slowly. “Alan, is there anything you can tell me that might help?”

“I don’t think so.” Alan said.

“Hmm, I wonder if I should just turn on the light then.” Carrie mused as she thought about the idea of a fluorescent light bulb when she heard Lois yelling for her.

“They’re there. The silent alarm at Fort Metropolis has just sounded!”

Carrie blinked and hurries over to the window. “I’m sorry; I have to go, right now.”

“Wait, is this about my suits?” Alan asked quickly.

Carrie paused for a split second before nodding. “Yes, it is.”

Alan paused for a moment before handing her the suit he had with him. “Take mine, one size fits all and you never know if you might need it.”

Carrie accepted it while feeling rather awkward. “Uh, thank you.” She said politely before flying out the window over to fort Metropolis to get a read on the situation and set the suit down carefully before flying back off to find something to help her with her idea and soon focused on the ground below at a mountain pass. 

Her eyes zeroed in on the ‘Jackson Phosphorous’ before flying down toward the mine and grabbed the bucket before flying back out of the mine and flying over to Metropolis fort’s roof just as she heard the shooting and started to sprinkle down the phosphorous on the invisible area and the suit started to glow red while continuing to empty the bucket and blew the sprinkles to cover the area below to reveal all five gang members.

Carrie saw Barnes start to run, but flew in front of him and barely felt the bullet deflect off her chest. “Nice to see you, Barnes.” She said in her ‘masculine’ voice as she took the weapon and bent it before leading him away and went over to Henderson after the other members were apprehended. “Is anyone missing?”

“Lois Lane was just here a minute ago, I know where she went.” Henderson replied and Carrie felt her annoyance rise before listening out for the woman’s voice and it coming from inside the building. 

Carrie resisted sighing heavily before she speeded into the building and knocked down the door to the vault, letting the guards and Lois gain a healthy breath of air. She moved to the side as the police followed her in and took the injured guards out of the room while Lois clung to Carrie’s arm and the woman was forced to drag the other woman out with her.

“How did you know how to make them visible?” Lois questioned upon seeing the red glowing suits being loaded into police cars.

“Fluorescent light.” Carrie replied and figured she’d have to continue since her explanation wasn’t enough. “In a fluorescent light bulb, invisible light becomes visible by passing it through a coating of phosphorus.” 

“That’s the second time you’ve saved my life.” Lois replied.

Carrie seriously wanted to snap back it would be the last time she had to, but knew better than to be too optimistic. “Glad to be of service.” She said instead and was about to fly off when she heard someone calling her.

“Supe! You were terrific!” Murray shouted as he held a document. “You want it in writing, right? Here’s the emmis, world-wide merchandising rights. I’m talking movies, I’m talking miniseries, I’m talking music videos, I’m talking comic books, I’m talking action figures. But you can call the shots. Quality control is Murray Brown’s middle name. You don’t like it, we don’t do it. How can you turn down a deal like that?”

Carrie paused and thought it over briefly. The thought of there being any more of this stuff grated on her nerves, but the world needed Superman, and even if she could never show them the real woman underneath, she was perfectly fine with that. “I can’t.”

“You can’t?” Lois asked aghast.

“But, all proceeds go to charity.” Carrie replied, figuring the money should go to a worthy cause at least.

“Great touch.” Murray replied and spoke up before Carrie could continue flying. “That wouldn’t include my commission would it?”

Carrie rolled her eyes.

\---------------------------------------------------

Alan, Helen, Lois, and Carrie are all gathered in the Morris’ home. “I destroyed the suits, all my notes.” Alan said.

“Are you going back to your old job?” Carrie asked.

“I got a new one. Something exciting.” Alan said proudly. “Vice President, Research and Development for Luthor Technologies.” 

Carrie cringed at hearing the name. “Congratulations.”

Lois looked over at Helen. “I’m so glad the two of you are back together.” She said and Helen whispered something in Lois’ ear, making her eyes widen. “He did?” she asked surprised.

“Yes. Alan’s his old self again. Thank you for bringing him home.” Helen replied as she moved toward her husband and they kissed.

“Guess I don’t need to be invisible to be visible anymore.” Alan replied.

“You never did, Alan.” Carrie said and recalled her father’s words. “It was the man under the suit that Helen cared about.” She said as Alan shook her hand.

\----------------------------------------------------

Lois and Carrie sat at their own desks writing their story in the evening when Lois moves from her desk after printing out a page and handed it to her. “I think we should lead with this.” Lois said.

Carrie scanned the work. “Nice work.” She said grudgingly.

Lois nodded. “You know Caroline, not that I’m one of those people who revel in saying ‘I told you so…’”

“Uh huh.” Carrie said sarcastically.

“…but I hope you’ve learned your lesson. There is no such thing as an invisible man.” Lois finished as she stared at Carrie for a confirmation, but upon receiving none, walked back to her desk.

Carrie shook her head as she grinned ruefully to herself. “Maybe not an invisible man,” she said in self-deprecation, “but there is an invisible woman.”


	5. Chapter 5

Carrie picked up the printouts from the machine and saw Perry approach.  
“Hi ya, Kent.”

“Perry…” Carrie trailed off, unsure of what to say. 

“Y’know, it occurs to me; we don’t see enough of each other.” Perry said.

“We see each other ten hours a day.” Carrie replied.

“I mean socially. I mean a couple of newspaper cronies getting together…a few beers, laughs…” Perry trailed off.

“That’s nice of you, Perry.” Carrie said nodding. “I think I have a Thursday free.”

“The game starts at nine. Tonight. Conference room. See you then.” Perry said shortly before walking away, leaving a bewildered Carrie behind.

“Game?” she called.

“Poker.” Perry replied and didn’t see the woman’s grimace. “I’ll bet you were a monster around the tables back in Smallville.”

“Actually, I was never very good at poker.” Carrie said shrugging.

Perry stopped and seemed to pause before nodding. “Even better.” He said before continuing on walking away.

“What have I gotten myself into?” Carrie muttered to herself.

“Why, you’ve just been swindled into joining the rest of us suckers for a game of poker, that’s what.” 

Carrie grimaced at the boisterous voice and looked over her shoulder at the blond man. “Yes Steve, I got that part.”

“Just checking.”

“So I take it from ‘us’ that you’ll be there too?” Carrie asked raising a brow behind her glasses.

Steve grinned at her before wrapping an arm loosely around her shoulder. “Yup, we could go together; like a date.”

“Steve, just because I owed you dinner and let you engage in harmless antics doesn’t mean we can go out.” Carrie replied.

“That is the most counterproductive thing I’ve ever head.” Steve deadpanned and Carrie shrugged his arm off. “Look, is it because I’m a womanizer? I can cha-” he paused and Carrie rolled her eyes.

“I gotta go.” She said shaking her head and heading back to her desk and stopped for a moment before looking back over her shoulder at him. “Though I guess since we will be seeing each other, you can drive me home-but this isn’t a date.” She hastily added.

The blond smirked as he nodded along. “ _Suuure_ , whatever you say.”

\-----------------------

“Twenty.” Carrie said tossing in two chips onto the poker table. 

“Too rich for me.” Lois said putting down the cards onto the table. 

“Now let’s see…” Perry looked over his own cards. “Alright, Kent. Just to keep it interesting…I’ll see your twenty and I’ll raise…how much you make here in a week?” he asked and Carrie froze up. “I’m pulling your leg. Relax. Let’s just say another fifty.” He said dramatically tossing in more chips and Carrie hesitantly looked at her cards before glancing at her boss. “Take your time, make the right decision.”

“You know who’d be a great poker player? Superman.” Jimmy announced.

“Next week we’ll invite him.” Perry said offhandedly.

“I don’t know if Superman gambles.” Lois observed.

“In his case it’s not gambling.” Jimmy pointed out.

“Yeah, for him it’d be more like…” Steve paused for the right word and grinned. “Playing to his strengths.”

“Hey, shut up and let the woman think.” Perry said.

“The guy’s got X-ray vision.” Jimmy whispered. “He could read everyone’s cards.”

Carrie paused and while the idea had occurred to her, she resisted the urge to look. 

“Superman wouldn’t do that.” Lois retorted.

“Why not?” Jimmy questioned.

“Wouldn’t be fair, and fair play is what Superman’s about.” Perry explained.

“Be awfully tempting though…” Jimmy trailed off. 

“Sure would.” Carrie said sadly to herself.

“Especially with this much money on the table. If it were me, I’d have to muster up a lot of super-willpower not to sneak a peak.” Jimmy said continuing on.

Carrie made a face as she threw the cards onto the table. “Fold.”

Perry cackled as he raked in the chips while Lois gathered up the cards. “It’s okay. Don’t let it bother you. Poker’s just like anything else; all it takes is a little practice.”

Carrie slumped in her seat as Lois dealt the cards. “Okay, seven card stud- high low- first and last cards down, one eyed jacks and deuces wild…”

\-------------------------------

“Partners?!”

Carrie blinked as she looked up from her desk at the argument Lois was having with Perry. 

“You and Kent. The experience of a battle-scarred veteran paired with the hunger of a fresh exciting talent.” Perry replied.

“I’m not scarred and she’s not so exciting.” Lois retorted.

“Your tenacity…her _tact_.” Perry said pointedly and Lois fumed. “Trust me; the two of you, there’s something there that’ll make for better stories.”

“But Perry, partnership between two women is like asking me to be her sister, and I’ve already got one.” Lois retorted.

“Right, so you’ll have experience.” Perry pointed out.

“Yes, but it takes patience, understanding, a willingness to be supportive.” Lois replied. “And I can’t do that with _her_.”

“I know, fake it; now go get your partner.” Perry said before he continued towards his office.

Carrie saw Lois turn on her heel and she smiled sardonically, showing just how much she didn’t like this either. “Howdy, partner.” She said sarcastically as Lois frowned and she continued on digging. “Which sounds better? Kent and Lane, or Lane and Kent?”

Lois cringed and Carrie’s smile widened, but before she could continue, an arm wrapped around her shoulder and Steve’s voice rang in her ear. 

“How about Steve and Carrie? The downer over there might not recognize a good thing, but I do and I’ll be your partner if you want.” 

Said downer looked at the blond sourly. “Neither.” She snapped as Jimmy decided to add in, “Lane and Kent, definitely.”

“Why?” Carrie and Steve asked together, the latter sounding more offended than confused like the former.

“Tradition; Steve and Carrie makes it sound like you two are a couple.” Jimmy replied.

Steve smirked. “That’s the idea.” He said as Carrie rolled her eyes.

“But anyway, Abbott and Costello, Martin and Lewis? Straight man always goes first.” Jimmy continued, but he wilted under Lois’ icy glare.

“Either way, it’ll never work.” She said and glanced disdainfully down at Steve to show who else she included with that sentence, but he just huffed.

“It won’t be that bad.” Carrie replied.

“It’ll be bad. _Worse_. Come on, Perry wants to see us.” Lois said as she turned on her heel again and headed for the editor’s office. 

\----------------------------

“Boxing?!” Lois shouted enraged at the editor moments after the man explained the story he wanted them to cover. 

“Not just boxing. The ultimate street fight! The fight card of the century-of the millennium! And right here in Metropolis!” Perry retorted.

“It’s still boxing!” Lois yelled.

“It’s a civic event!” Perry shouted back.

“It’s sports.” Lois grounded out. “That’s Steve’s area of _expertise_ ,” she said with heavy emphasis on the last word, “get him to do it.”

“Lois…just do the story!” Perry shouted.

Lois gritted her teeth then paused. “This wouldn’t have anything to with my…connection, would it?”

“Connections?” Carrie questioned.

“You got connections in the fight game, Lois?” Perry asked innocently. 

“You know I do.” Lois retorted.

“What connections?” Carrie asked again, only to be ignored once more.

“Oh, that’s right; how _is_ your father?” Perry questioned like he had just realized it.

Lois turned on her heel. “Come on, Caroline.” 

“Your father is a fighter?” Carrie asked intrigued, but Perry called to them.

“Oh, and now that you mention it, do take Lombard with you, this is the guy’s area like you said.”

Carrie couldn’t help but smirk, whether at the fact Steve was coming with them, or that Lois was mad he was. 

\------------------------------------

The trio walked into the gym and both Steve and Carrie looked at the glass case filled with trophies and pictures. “The Menken Gym.” They both said in reverence. 

Lois raised a brow as Carrie suddenly looked down with a flush on her face and Steve was grinning. “Do you realize how many champions have come out of here?” The blond questioned.

“Give me a minute to pat down my goose bumps.” Lois said dryly.

“You wouldn’t say that if you followed boxing.” Carrie piped in.

“Oh?” Lois questioned.

“She’s right you know.” Steve added and Carrie stared at him oddly, like she was trying to figure out what to ask him. “Honey, I’m a sport’s reporter, and that should tell you all you need to know about what I know about sports.”

“Not to mention the ‘other things’ too.” Lois said sourly, but the blond ignored her.

Carrie shook her head as she glanced at a photo in the case. “Billy Mason. Maybe the greatest middleweight of all time.”

“Welterweight.” Lois shot back.

Carrie shot her a look before continuing. “I’ll never forget it. Mason-Rodriguez. June ’78.”

“’79, October.” Lois corrected her.

“Mason takes Rodriguez out in the eighth round.” Carrie added.

“Fourth. T.K.O.” Lois once again corrected her.

“Will you cut it out?” Carrie snapped in annoyance.

“You’re thinking of the Mason-Ramirez fight a year earlier-before Mason moved up in weight class.” Lois replied.

“I hate to say this, Carrie, but the downer’s right.” Steve drawled and Carrie shot him a flat look before looking back at Lois.

“How’d you know that?” she asked.

“Lucky guess.” The other woman replied.

“Come on, how?” Carrie asked with some genuine interest.

“During the Mason-Rodriguez fight, Mason tears a rotator cuff...which is later operated on by…” Lois trailed off.

“Dr. Sam Lane.” Carrie replied and paused, Steve soon following as he finished the sentence.

“Sam _Lane_!” he repeated incredulously. “Wait a minute, is he…?”

“My father.” Lois said flatly. “So you two have heard of him I take it?”

“Anyone who reads the sports pages has.” Steve replied and his voice turned smug. “Which I should know as I write them.”

Carrie rolled her eyes as she added her own two cents. “Practically invented reconstructive surgery for athletes. He builds them a new hip, a new knee, and they come back better than before.” She paused and her voice turned knowing. “So he’s your connection.”

“In Perry’s dreams.” Lois retorted. “Look, here’s Tommy Garrison, let’s get a statement.” The three of them approached the ring, passing fighters working on speed bags, heavy ropes, jumping rope and doing chin-ups. The fighter in the ring was pummeling his sparring partner. “Tommy! Talk to you a minute?”

Garrison looked over for a moment, before the other fighter nailed him in the face. Furious, he turned and with surprising speed and strength, lets out a counter punch that send the other man off his feet and into the rope, falling onto the ground face first.

“Holy…” Carrie trailed off stunned.

“Who are you?” Garrison demanded.

“Lois Lane, Caroline Kent, Steve Lombard, Daily Planet.” Lois answered.

“Someone want to throw these three out?” Garrison called.

“Aw, quiet down, they’re okay.”

Lois turned to see a man in his fifties. “Allie!”

“Hi ya pumpkin!” Dinello called back as he swept her up into a bear hug. “What happened? Perry White finally put you on the sports pages-where you belong?” he asked and looked over at both Carrie and Steve. “She’s forgotten more sports than I ever knew.” He said and squinted at the blond. “Hey, you’re that football player that busted his knee, aren’t you?”

Steve’s face became fixed, but he still answered. “Yeah, that’s me, but Lois knowing about sports of anything is surprising.”

“I’m starting to feel surprised too.” Carrie said jokingly.

Dinello looked back at Lois. “How is Perry? Still cheating at poker?”

Carrie looked up sharply but Steve didn’t look surprised. “He’s fine, Allie.” Lois replied. “Meet Caroline Kent, and Steve Lombard, they’re the ones I’m working with on this story.”

“Her partner.” Carrie flatly as Steve put an arm around her shoulder. 

“Though I’m working on having that changed to me.” He said as Dinello shook his hand and then Carrie’s.

“What brings you here?” Dinello asked.

“You’ve got four fighters going for titles this Saturday. Maybe the biggest night in the history of boxing, and we can’t get to the fighters. I don’t get it.” Lois said.

“Max Menken will talk to you for as long as you want.” Dinello replied.

“Menken’s the promoter. We want to talk to the fighters.” Carrie said.

“Sorry Kent…” Dinello said as a towel suddenly landed on Carrie’s shoulder and the woman brushed it off in disgust.

“You want to talk to me, girly?” Garrison called. “Okay, but you can’t learn anything from down there; come up here, see what it feels like.”

Carrie hesitated, but Lois gave the woman a push. “Carrie, go on!”

Steve looked incredulously between the fighter and Carrie. “You’re kidding, Carrie’s tall, but she doesn’t look like she’d last a second.”

“He’s right, this isn’t a good idea.” Dinello said nervously. 

Lois ignored it and took the look of rising frustration on Carrie’s face to goad her on. “It’s what we came here for, if you don’t go up there, I will.”

Carrie looked over at her and snorted. “You’re the one who wouldn’t last a second.” She snarked before taking her glasses off and handed them to Lois stepping up into the ring, thankful that she wore pant suits instead of a skirt, her face going cold as Garrison started circling her and when they’re face-to-face the man stared at her stone-faced.

“You look pretty solid, ever been in a fight?” he asked and Carrie glowered at the earlier comment.

“I try to avoid them.” She said flippantly.

“How can you write about boxing if you don’t know what it’s like?” Garrison asked and paused. “Ever seen a punch like this?” he jabbed the air on either side of her head, but Carrie didn’t flinch. “Come on, girly, give it back to me, take your best shot.” Carrie frowned, but her hands stayed at her sides. “No? Then try to avoid me.” He said as he began jabbing around Carrie’s head, the last punch nearly hitting her face. “Look out, princess. That one nearly connected.” Carrie tightened her fist and was set to raise it before she thought better of it. “Keep your guard up, honey. ‘Else someone’s going to knock you through the ropes. Then what’ll you do?”

“You might be surprised.” Carrie replied icily.

Lois suddenly seemed nervous. “Caroline, get down from there!”

“You just sent her up there!” Steve shouted at the other woman.

“Allie, he’s just…playing with her, right?” Lois asked, but there was no reply.

Carrie backed into the ropes as the jabs kept coming. “See, I got you where I want you and I haven’t thrown a punch. What now, princess?”

Carrie narrowed her eyes before she pushed the man away, not a feat for her to do, but it sent the man stumbling back. “Oh look, neither have I and yet look what I just did.” She said darkly.

“Caroline, no!” Lois yelled and Steve looked ready to jump into the ring himself as Garrison raised his fist.

“Garrison! Hit the showers!” A new voice yelled and the man froze. “Everybody, let’s go.”

Carrie remained for a moment and watched the others fighters in the gym leave and Garrison gave the woman a look of contempt. “See you later, girly.” He said and left the ring cackling. 

Carrie clenched her fists before unwinding and exited the ring. 

“You alright kid?” Dinello asked.

“Fine.” Carrie replied.

“Forget it, Caroline, the guy’s a jerk.” Lois said disdainfully.

“I guess you can get away with a lot…when you’re the strongest man in the world.” Carrie said rolling her eyes.

“One of the strongest.” Menken retorted. “Saturday night you can see them all. The Ultimate Street Fight! The most spectacular night of boxing there ever was…or ever will be. The eyes of the world right here on Metropolis! Write about that.” He paused. “Now excuse us, the gym is off limits to the press.” He said and looked at Dinello. “You should’ve known better.”

Dinello looked nervous as Menken left, but managed a small smile as he took Lois’ arm and led her to the exit. “Everybody’s a little nervous. There’s a lot riding on this.”

“So I see, take care Allie, and good luck on Saturday.” Lois replied. 

“Let’s go, pumpkin.” Steve said sarcastically, but Lois glared at him venomously. 

“…Lois.” Carrie admonished dryly as she led them both through the exit by the arms. “Stop scaring Steve.”

The blond scowled at the ground as he muttered petulantly under his breath. “Not scared.”

A man gets out a taxi just as the three of them exit and he’s distinguished and in his fifties. “Lois!” he called.

“Hi dad…” Lois trailed off as she touches his cheek and kissed the atmosphere.

“What brings you here?” Dr. Lane asked.

“The Ultimate Street Fight.” Lois replied.

“Right...right, what else?” Dr. Lane questioned.

“Trying to…you know…get to the fighters.” Lois said in a fractured tone.

Dr. Lane looked over at the other reporters, the blond staying quiet in some sort of shocked awe, so Carrie had to speak up. “Caroline Kent, sir, I’m Miss Lane’s partner on this story.” She said as they shook hands.

“Sorry.” Lois said suddenly. “Sam Lane, Caroline Kent, and Steve Lombard.”

“Nice to meet you Kent.” Dr. Lane said before reaching to shake Steve’s hand, only to get no response and frowned lightly. “Are you alright, son?” 

Carrie waved her hand in front of the blonde’s face, but there was no response other than his continually blank look of disbelief. “Sorry about him, I think his shock’s gotten the best of him.” she said embarrassedly.

“Quite alright.” Dr. Lane said lightly as he looked at his daughter. “Well, I wish I could help you, but the press is not my department.”

“Sure, we know that.” Lois replied.

“And of course, you’ve got to understand…the fighters are jumpy…” Dr. Lane said.

“And need protection from us wicked reporters.” Lois finished.

Dr. Lane laughed. “You going to have some time, Lois? For dinner…?”

“Maybe…soon…I’m so busy…” Lois replied vaguely.

“Well, when you get out from under...”

“Sure…” Lois said before grabbing Carrie by the arm and led her away, and by a chain reaction Carrie reached out and pulled Steve along with her.

\---------------------------------

“What are you still doing here?” 

Carrie paused in her typing to look up from her computer. “Working.” She said shortly.

“Uh-huh. On what?” Lois said and paused. “You’re waiting for me to ‘talk about it.’ To ‘open up.’ See? This is exactly why I hate partnerships.”

Despite the fact Carrie was about to let Lois know that she did _not_ want to hear her life story, the second complaint seemed more interesting. “Why?”

“Because your partner is always there for you…whether you want her or not. Because your partner wants to share your troubles…and I don’t feel like sharing.” Lois said and before Carrie could reply that she felt the same, Lois continued. “Okay, I don’t get along with my father, what’s the big deal?”

“No big deal.” Carrie replied, though she specifically meant for her tone to imply that she didn’t want her to continue talking as she _was_ in fact working.

“Have you ever known anybody so wrapped up in their work that they don’t have time for anyone or anything?” Lois questioned.  
Carrie sat up straighter as she realized that she wasn’t going to get any more work until Lois was done talking. “Is that a trick question?”

“Okay, okay. But I don’t have kids.” Lois replied.

“A lot of fathers are workaholics.” Carrie pointed out.

“The ones that I knew at least tried to spend a little ‘quality time’ with the family. My dad only came home to criticize. ‘Look Daddy, a ninety-eight on my exam. ‘Good, Lois, that leaves two points for improvement.’” The phones rang and Lois picked it up while Carrie had gone thoughtfully silent.

While mostly her parents kept stressing how important it was for her to keep her abilities under wraps, she often, and unintentionally picked up other conversations parents had with their children while working on her hearing control, and the one situation that came to mind for comparison was her former high school…stalker seemed like a synonymous word to use as he just had a really persistent crush on her. She remembered hearing his dad criticizing him about doing better on the school football team and in school. 

“Lois Lane…” Lois paused. “Allie, calm down. What’s wrong? Just tell me where and when…okay.” She hung up and looked over at Carrie. “Allie Dinello.”

“What’d he say?” Carrie asked.

“Just that he needs to talk to me, something about the fight night. He didn’t want to say any more over the phone.” Lois replied.

“Let’s go.” Carrie said before she realized what she had just said.

“Carrie, maybe I ought you go alone.” Lois replied.

“Okay.” Carrie said hastily.

“I think he’d be more…” 

“…comfortable talking to someone he knows.” Carrie finished. “I get it, go.” She said trying not to sound impatient.

Lois grabbed her stuff and paused as she stopped at the door. “Sometimes you surprise me…”

Carrie looked up sharply, but Lois was gone. 

\-----------------------

Carrie sat by a shaken Lois, though she didn’t have much of a choice as Richard was by her other side and she couldn’t move, but she did feel some pity for her, despite the fact she didn’t like her. “I’ve known Allie…almost my whole life. To see him like that…” Lois trailed off.

“The police call it a hit-and-run. Probably a drunk driver.” Carrie replied.

“And…we’re not buying that.” Perry said.

“I was there, Perry. It was no ordinary hit and run. That car went straight for him, bore down on him.” Lois replied.

“It was dark.” Carrie pointed out.

“Not that dark.” Lois snapped. “And anyway you didn’t hear him on the phone. He was upset; he said he was in trouble. I think whatever he was going to tell me cost him his life.”

“And idea what he wanted to say?” Perry asked.

“No.” Lois replied.

“Think your father could help?” Perry questioned.

“I don’t know.” Lois said as she slumped her shoulders.

“You going to ask him?” Perry asked.

“I’d rather not.” Lois said despondently.

“I’d rather be sailing-but I’m here…doing my job.” Perry said pointedly.

Lois stood angrily and Richard moved back to let her through. 

\-----------------------------

Lois and Carrie snuck into the deserted gym and the door that’s marked ‘S. Lane, M.D’ as Lois tried to open the door’s lock with a credit card. Carrie looked around to make sure that no one was coming. “I’ve seen Jimmy do this. It always word. I don’t know what I’m doing wrong.”

Carrie gritted her teeth as she was rapidly losing her patience and surreptitiously melted the door lock with her heat vision and pushed it open.

“Not bad for the first time.” Lois said triumphantly as she went inside.

Carrie rolled her eyes as she pocketed the lock with her free hand.

A row of file cabinets, shelves and medical books lined the wall. Lois put a flashlight between her teeth and rifled through the files cabinets as Carrie looked through the shelves. “All these training logs, medical reports.” 

“Look at this, Garrison’s file. His boxing record was okay until his surgery.” Carrie said. “After his surgery-perfect.”

Lois searched through another file and pointed at it. “Same with this fighter.”

“And not just winning record. These guys made mincemeat of their opponents.” Carrie replied as they compared the files.

“You think it was some kind of steroid?” Lois questioned and Carrie shrugged. “Keep looking.”

Carrie lowered her glasses as she used her X-ray vision to zoom in on a seam in the wall and she saw a shallow hidden room behind it before moving the bookcase and pressed a button on the wall. The ‘door’ opened with a click.

Lois looked up at the sound and joined her at the entrance. “How did you…?”

“My uncle Ian had the same set-up in his den.” Carrie replied as they both went in and looked at all the types of science and biology things. “Well it’s not steroids.”

“Mechanical parts...” Lois started.

“And even motors to drive them.” Carrie finished.

“No wonder they’re invincible.” Lois said and gasped. “My God, Caroline, I’m Dr. Frankenstein’s daughter!” she took a small Minox from her purse and started snapping pictures of the diagrams and photos of parts. She glanced at Carrie as the woman looked up suddenly. “What?”

“I heard something.” Carrie replied.

“I didn’t.” 

Carrie put a finger to her lips and hushed Lois. “I’ll take a look; wait here.” She said closing the door behind her and left Lois in the room, briefcase still firm in hand.

“Hey!”

“If we’re both caught, there’ll be no one to get the story out.” Carrie replied as she kept using her X-ray vision to see both Menken and Garrison approaching. She looked around then used her super speed to begin stomping her feet down and banged on the walls. Things started to fall as dust filled the air.

“Earthquake!” Garrison shouted.

“Come on, before the building comes down on our heads.” Menken shouted as they both ran from the premise.

Carrie stopped and the shaking slowly stopped as well before she opened the closet door.

“Did you feel that? It was at least a five.” Lois said.

Carrie didn’t reply as she took Lois by the arm and hurried them both out.

\--------------------------

Lois, Jimmy, and Carrie sat at Lois’ desk and looked over the paraphernalia in Dr. Lane’s office. “This is incredible, incredible.” Jimmy said.

“The boxing commission will never all these fighters into the ring if they know they’re half robots.” Carrie replied.

Lois started typing at her desk. “If it weren’t for the earthquake we’d be the lead story!”

“What earthquake?” Jimmy questioned.

“Last night!” Lois shouted. “The earthquake!” 

“There was no earthquake last night.” Jimmy retorted.

“Not in Metropolis, Lois.” Jimmy replied. “If the earth moved for you-it must have been something else.” He winked at Carrie as the woman flushed a deep red and a grimace crossed her face as she realized what he was implying.

Not in a million years.

Lois thought seemed to miss the implication and continued typing.

“What are you writing?” Carrie asked, desperate to change the subject.

“The story.” Lois replied.

“Saying what?” Carrie retorted.

“That Sam Lane is performing these operations secretly.” Lois replied.

“Are you sure?” Carrie asked, more so because she wanted the facts right than out of any concern.

“Sure I’m sure.” Lois replied.

“You two went back to the gym last night?” A new voice asked and they both looked up at an incredulous Steve. “Are you insane? What if you got caught?”

“Didn’t know you cared.” Lois muttered.

The blond raised a brow mockingly. “I don’t, at least about you, but you,” he looked over at the other woman, “I’m…starting too.” He suddenly pressed on, not giving either of them a chance to comment on that little confession. “And besides, isn’t this guy your dad, Lois?”

Lois huffed. “Big deal, he’ll lose his license, he deserves it.”

“Allie lost his life.” Carrie pointed out.

Lois stopped typing and glared up at Carrie. “Caroline, this is the biggest scandal in boxing history.”

“No doubt about it.” Carrie replied. “We print this though; whoever killed Allie will want your father out of the way too. He’d be the key to the prosecutor’s case.”

“So, what you’re saying Caroline, is that we should kill the story? That we should take a dive?” Lois snapped and Carrie exchanged a glance with Steve to help mediate her point.

“Just wait until it’s safe to print what happened.” He said shrugging and Lois sighed before slumping in her seat.

\----------------------------

Perry rose disbelievingly from his desk as he stared incredulously at Lois and Carrie, both looking uncomfortable. “And ordinary hit and run?”

“The police think so, too.” Lois pointed out weakly.

“Yesterday you told me it was murder.” Perry shot back.

“I was wrong.” Lois said, her face twisting up and Carrie was sure it hurt the woman to say that.

“What about Dinello’s phone call?” Perry questioned. “Did you find out why he was upset?”

“A person can get upset for a lot of reasons.” Lois replied.

“And your father?” Perry questioned.

“He says he doesn’t know anything.” Lois replied.

“What’s going on here?” Perry asked.

“Sometimes a piece goes dry, Perry. You know that.” Carrie said softly.

“Great. We’ll put that up on bill-boards all over the city, ‘Lane and Kent Come Up With Squat. On Sale at News-stands Now’!” Perry shouted and looked at Carrie. “You agree with her on this take?”

“I go with my partner.” Now it was Carrie’s turn to find saying something painful.

There was a long awkward silence that followed until Perry sat back down to resume his other work and the duo leave his office to get away from the awkwardness.

\------------------------------

Carrie glanced up at a fuming Lois that had just come from getting a mundane topic to write about. “Police Academy graduation.” She said before rising from her seat and they walk over to the elevator together.

“Nice.” Lois said sarcastically. “Guess we’re not partners anymore.”

“Guess not.” Carrie tried not to sound too relieved. 

“I’m sorry, Caroline, really.” Lois replied.

Carrie shrugged. “It’s just as well.” Inside she was celebrating.

“You’re right; it _is_ just as well.” Lois replied sharply and Carrie’s internal celebration stopped short as she recognized this tone as Lois’ ‘bag on myself’ one. “You don’t want to be partnered with a hypocritical reporter who talks a good game but backs off the minute things hit too close to home.”

Before, Carrie would have gladly agreed that she was better off, but the nicer part of her wouldn’t let her. “Yes I do.”

Lois suddenly grabbed Carrie’s arm and looked at her gratefully before they entered the elevator. 

\---------------------------------

“Look, there he is.” Carrie pointed out as soon as she saw Dr. Lane standing at the street corner and she and Lois walked up to the man.

“Did you get it?” Lois asked.

Dr. Lane pulled a microcassette player out of his pocket. “It may not be enough to arrest him; it’ll be plenty for the boxing commission.” He said and plays the tape.

_”Stronger!” Dr. Lane shouted as his voice grew anxious. “Max, there’s no need. The fighters are winning every fight.”_

_“We want ‘em stronger.” Menken replied._

_“They’re too strong as it is.”_

_“We’ll be the judge of that.”_

_“No,_ I _will. I didn’t develop these limbs to be battering rams.”_

_“The cash didn’t hurt neither.”_

_“Every scent went back into the work.”_

_“Yeah, well, now we’re going into mass production. We’re going to turn ‘em out like Detroit does cars.”_

_“Cars are machines, Max.”_

_“Welcome to the party.”_

_“I want out of this.”_

_“Sure, Doc. At the end of your contract.”_

_“We don’t have a contract.”_

_“Yeah, we do. Lifetime.”_

_“Dinellow have the same contract?”_

_“It’s a dangerous business.”_

_“You killed him.”_

_“Who’d you think? I’d hate to waste you too.”_

Dr. Lane stopped the tape and handed it to Lois. “I don’t…I don’t know what to say.”

“Don’t _say_ anything.” Dr. Lane replied. “Write. The _whole_ story-including the one you didn’t write before.”

“Sir, do you mind if I ask; how you got into this?” Carrie questioned tentatively.

“Sports medicine is my specialty. When I started my on replacement limbs, I could always find volunteers among boxers…and funding from the promoters. By the time I realized how they were abusing my work…well, frankly, I was afraid….”

“Of ending up like Allie.” Lois finished.

Dr. Lane nodded and touched Lois’ cheek. “Write it, darling-and don’t forget to the spell my name right.” He said before walking away.

Lois glanced at Carrie before she ran after her father. “Daddy!” she shouted and hugged the man.

“I wonder if…it’s not too late to try…to make it up to you…” he trailed off.

“You don’t have to make anything up to me, Daddy. We can just take it from here.” Lois replied and her father kissed her on the cheek before leaving and Lois walked back over to Carrie and took her arm in hers.

Carrie thought about pulling her arm away, but she decided to let Lois have her moment and didn’t complain.

\---------------------------------

Perry zipped through the sitting room. “Lois! I need your piece on the auto show.”

“I don’t have it.” Lois replied.

The room went silent as the activity died down and Perry looked at her slowly, as if he didn’t quite hear her right. “Don’t have it?”

Lois was holding up some papers as they came out of the printer. “Been working on this instead.”

Perry walked over to her and crossed his arms. “Assignment are not optional at the Daily Planet.” He said as Lois handed him the papers. “We write what we’re assigned to write. Further-more…” his hostility was replaced by elation when the contents sank in. “Wait a minute. I knew it! Lois Lane doesn’t back off a story! You were just pulling my leg!” he shouted. “And you got me, too.” He muttered before speaking to the whole room. “You all ought to be ashamed of yourselves for what you were thinking!”

Lois grinned before clearing her throat and pointedly nodded over at Carrie, who was standing over at the side and Perry extended   
his hand. 

“Kent, thanks for a first rate job.” He said.

“You’re welcome.” Carrie replied politely and held up some other pages as her tone turned a smidge smug. “The Police Academy story too.”

“Show off.” Lois said before looking at Perry. “Perry, the fights are tonight. If we hurry; we can get this into the afternoon edition!”

“Copy!” Perry bellowed and a copy boy dashed over. “Get this down there! Tell ‘em it’s for the front page, as much room as it needs! Wingate! Call sales! Tell ‘em I want radio sports, T.V spots…skywriting…yeah…let Metropolis know that Lane and Kent are the greatest team since…Woodward and Bernstein…and they can see for themselves in the ‘Daily Planet.’”

Carrie looked around at the ensuing chaos before shaking her head and walking over to the coffee machine for a cup and saw her and Lois’ third blond ‘partner’ leaning against the wall. “Hey, Steve.”

“Hey.” He replied and smiled slightly. 

Carrie looked somewhat sheepish. “Sorry about tonight, it looks like you might not get to review the fights after all.” 

Steve glanced at her before smirking. “There’s nothing to be sorry about, ‘cause either way, I’m still going to get a story for the sports page.”

Carrie furrowed her brow. “How?”

“I’m going to the fight anyway, and though it may not be a regulation fight, there’s _still_ bound to be some fighting.” The blonde replied with a grin. “One that might end up with the police coming in too.”

Carrie rolled her eyes. “Only you, huh?” she saw the blond shrug before noticing Lois and Richard talking.

“So, congratulations or what?” he questioned as he extended his hand.

Lois smirked before shaking it, though she was slightly confused. “Aren’t you Caroline’s friend?” she asked and saw the man raise a dark brown brow and her breath hitched as she started to see the strangest of resemblances.

“What, I can’t have other friends?” he asked chuckling and Lois sighed as she realized in some bizarre way this man reminded her of Superman.

Then she snapped back to reality and shook off the incredulity before retracting her hand. “I suppose you can, you   
_are_ the editor’s nephew after all.” She said primly.

Richard looked at her in shock as she walked past him and wondered what it was that he’d done wrong.

\---------------------------

“So you two have decided to join me in watching the action unfold then?” Steve questioned with a smirk as he saw Lois and Carrie walking up to him.

“You could say that.” Carrie said smiling mysteriously as she clutched her briefcase in her hand. She didn’t _need_ to bring it everywhere, but it never hurt to be prepared.

“Ah, Miss Lane, I was hoping I’d run into you.” A new voice said, one that Carrie recognized as Luthor’s and she saw him take Lois’ hand. “Ah, and I don’t believe I’ve had the pleasure of meeting your lovely partner.”

Carrie smiled, trying not to give any indication that anything was wrong as Luthor had never actually met her. “Caroline Kent.” She said and saw Steve scowl from the corner of her eye before he inched pointedly closer to her. _’You don’t look good in green, Steve.’_ she thought before she heard Luthor start speaking again.

“-and I was hoping that rumors were unfounded.” He was saying.

“I’m afraid not.” Lois replied.

“Miss Lane-Lois-your father is a Visionary. I have nothing but contempt for those who led him down this path. That’s why I came today. To find you and make this pledge: to do anything within my power to help your father redirect his talents to the injured and handicapped.” Luthor explained.

“I don’t know what to say.” Lois replied dazedly.

“Well ain’t this touching.” Another voice said sarcastically.

“Menken!” Lois shouted.

“I think somebody’s looking for you, Max. Maybe…the D.A?” Carrie snarked.

Menken discreetly revealed that he had a gun with him. “All right, let’s nobody get heroic. She’s taking a ride with me, you three back off.”

“Haven’t you caused enough trouble?” Luthor questioned.

“I’m just warming up.” Menken replied before grabbing Lois’ arm and hustling her away.

Carrie decided that she’d give Lois a free pass on this one rescue that came with instant annoyance as it seemed she was most likely being targeted because of her father and not because she got into this mess by herself. “I’ll go for help!” she shouted before taking off into the opposite direction.

The woman vanished into an alley before flying up into the air after a quick change and her super hearing picked up Lois’ voice.  
“What are you going to do when he comes for me?” she questioned.

“Who?” Menken shot back.

“Superman.” Lois replied.

“You and him are close, are you?” 

“Let’s just say he’s always there when I need him.”

 _’Technically, I’m there when anyone need me, not just you.’_ Carrie thought.

“Well I’d say you need him now, where is he?” 

Carrie took this as her cue to land. “A pleasure to meet you, Mr. Menken.” She said putting her hands on her hips and watched them turn around.

Lois’ face though turned to alarm. “Superman! Behind you!”

Carrie turned around herself and received two ‘superhuman’ punches given to her simultaneously by two fighters that landed on her jaw and she staggered backwards before noticing more fighters.

“Steel vs. Steel…that’s how I’d promote it. Too bad we can’t stay and watch.” Menken taunted before Carrie saw him and Lois leave.  
Carrie tried to shake off the hit before she was once again hit by two of the fighters that sent her reeling backwards again. She recovered before pushing two of them into a cyclone fence and then ripped it from its mooring and started wrapping it around the fighters and sent them spinning away like a top before turning her attention to the third fighter.

She scowled and the fighter suddenly smiled and raised his hands in surrender before backing away and turning to run. She picked up Garrison’s voice suddenly.

“Superman! I’m waiting for you! I want to see what makes you so Super!” he growled and Carrie sighed before going back to the ring. “Where do you suppose this _Super man’s_ gone? You don’t think he’d scared, do you? Why would he be scared of me?”

“He’s not afraid.” Carrie replied.

“No?”

“He took care of your pals easy enough.” Carrie shot back.

“My pals ain’t me.” Garrison snapped. “SUPERMAN! Oh, SUP…erman.”

“Are you looking for me?” Carrie questioned before coming into view and the man whirled around. 

“Yeah.” He replied.

They faced each other before Carrie raised a brow. “What’s your pleasure?”

“A prize fight.” Garrison replied. “Marquis of Queensbury rules?”

“Of course.” Carrie replied, but she was taken by surprise as the man immediately broke the rules and unleashed his fury and sent her back until she was down. She saw the man raise his arm as the crowd booed, but soon the booing faded as she sat up and was grateful that she had a very durable wig. She blinked dazedly and rubbed her jaw.

“Are you hurt, Superman?” A mature elderly woman leaned into the ring.

“Nah, he just caught me off guard, that’s all. What’s the count?” Carrie questioned.

“Hasn’t reached ten.” The other woman replied.

“Good.” Carrie said firmly.

“And keep your left up!” The other woman said sternly.

Carrie rose to her feet and heard the cheering crowd throwing her encouragements and approached Garrison before planting her feet firmly on the ground as the man let out a punch, which she did not try to block. The man’s eyes went wide as his punch had no effect on her and rattled his own arm. 

She felt Garrison hitting her harder and she knows that the punches are hurting him more than her. “Something wrong?” she questioned before giving him a light push that still sent him falling back into the ropes. “Superman _weaves_ a victory.” She said as Garrison was wrapped up in the ropes.

Carrie then remembered Lois and took off out of the ring, but when she arrived to save the other woman, Menken was already dead and _Luthor_ of all people turned out to be the hero. “Are…you…alright?” she asked, her voice more surprised than relieved.

Lois nodded and turned to Luthor. “You saved my life.”

“I couldn’t let any harm come to you.” Luthor replied and looked over at Carrie. “I know you can’t be everywhere at once, Superman. I’m just glad one of us got here on time.”

Carrie didn’t show any reaction; she just nodded instead.

\---------------------------

Carrie and Lois watched Perry read over their latest writing as he leaned on Carrie’s desk. “Great follow up. By the way, Kent, where were you during all this?”

“I went to get help.” Carrie replied smoothly.

Perry though doesn’t seem to have heard it as he continued reading. “No criminal charges against Dr. Lane…that’s good…oh, isn’t this nice; Lex Luthor has offered to testify as a character witness before the medical ethics board. Good for Lex.” He continued and Carrie felt her calm mask start to crack. “He carries a lot of weight in the community.” He said as he finished reading. “Well, my instinct was right. Lane and Kent are a big success. Circulation should go way up with this piece.” 

“I guess we’re partners full time now, huh?” Lois questioned and Carrie leaned forward, trying to not look too eager for the ‘no’ verdict.

“Don’t want to overdo it.” Perry replied and Carrie breathed a low sigh of relief. “Only when the time is right-and only special stories.” He said as he landed Lois back the pages and departed.

“Looks like Steve’s going to get that partnership with you after all one of these days.” Lois said snarkily. 

Carrie shrugged and noticed the blond man walking over. “And speaking of Steve…”

“Hello Carrie,” he said smiling suavely at her before turning a flat gaze to the other woman, “Lois.” 

“What is it, Steve?” Carrie asked before either of them could get into an argument or a fight of some kind. 

“Remember how I said I was going to write about a fight last night?” Steve questioned and Carrie nodded. The man smirked. “Well, along with everyone else in the stadium, we got to see Superman take down Garrison.” He said and held up the article. 

“Let me see that.” Lois said as she suddenly tried to snatch the paper away.

“No way, Lois.” Steve replied moving away from the woman. “You want to see this article: read the paper,” he said before walking away and threw her a smirk over his shoulder, “’cause it’s not like you _own_ any Superman related stories.”

Lois huffed and turned back to Carrie. “He is so infuriating.”

“He does have a point though.” Carrie replied and Lois leveled her with an icy stare.

The dark-haired woman merely shrugged it off. “I’m just sayin’.” 

Though for her piece of mind she hoped Steve wouldn’t put himself in danger for a story, because despite it all…she was really starting to come around to liking him.


	6. Chapter 6

Carrie heard the yelling for help and flew into a burning building after she saw that there was an elderly man trapped in the building. She heard his yelling turn into coughing as she reached him and grabbed him before flying out of the building and down to the ground, both of them blackened by the soot as she landed. 

She let the paramedics take over and patted the old man on the shoulder. “You’ll be okay now.”

“Superman!”

Carrie glanced over at the newscaster and cameras with her. “You’ve been helping the fire department all. Any idea who could be behind the fires?”

“No, no yet.” Carrie replied. “We’ve been too busy fighting them.”

“We’re hearing rumors the arsons might be gang related. Any comment?” The newscaster questioned.

Carrie was about to reply before a B.G yelled out, “Fire at Hobs and 8th.”

“I’m sure the proper authorities are trying everything they can to find out. Now, if you’ll excuse me.” Carrie replied before flying into the air to go after the new fire.

\--------------------

“So you’re sure about this whole undercover thing?” Carrie questioned with a drawl, not particularly caring whether she got an answer, but Richard was with them and she wanted him and Lois to start talking so _she_ won’t have to anymore.

But Lois saw a man lighting a cigarette and waltzed up to him and blew out the match while pointing to the ‘No Smoking’ sign. “Can’t you read?”

“She sure is passionate.” Richard said in admiration. 

Carrie made a slight face. ‘ _Well that’s one way of putting it._ ’ she thought as the three of them continued on down the ramp and she gently nudged the man in the ribs and nodded discreetly at Lois.

He surprisingly caught on. “Isn’t it too dangerous?”

“Not for me.” Lois replied flippantly.

“Lois, those guys aren’t just club owners; they’re gangsters.” Carrie pointed out.

“Look, it’s very simple.” Lois said patiently like explaining this to both of them was a great strain on her nerves. “The Metro gang controls Riverview. Riverview’s on fire. I’m going to find out why.”

Richard noticed Perry walking by as Carrie grimaced at the cold coffee. Well, at least he knew not to have the coffee. “Unc-” he paused and decided that blatantly telling their relation wasn’t any way to make friends. “Uh, Chief, please talk some sense into her, would you?”

“Ever tried to milk a steer, son?” Perry questioned before looking over at Lois “What’s the problem today?”

“The problem is that Caroline here,” Lois began and the other woman glared at her, “would rather give up a scoop on the Riverview fires than let me take a few little chances.”

“It was _Richard_ who was saying how dangerous it might be, I wasn’t saying anything to dissuade you otherwise.” Carrie replied coldly.

Perry raised a brow at this, but didn’t comment as he glanced back at Lois. “A scoop huh?”

“A sure thing.” Lois replied, also seeming to ignore what Carrie said.

“Well, Kent, it’s always been my policy to stand behind my reporters and their methods one thousand percent. Why, if you opened up that window, said you could fly, I’d back you up. I’d miss you, but I’d back you up.” Perry explained.

“Thanks Chief.” Lois said with a slight smile.

“Doesn’t mean you shouldn’t be careful, Lois.” Perry warned.

“I will.” Lois promised.

“Don’t you have a press conference to get to?” Perry asked Carrie before he went back to his office.

Once he was gone, Carrie decided to feign interest some more. “You should’ve discussed this with me before you took it on.”

“Why would I do that, Caroline?” Lois questioned.

“You have a point.” Carrie replied flatly, but shrugged. “But I should point out we’re a team anyway.” 

Lois raised a brow and this time, Richard decided to stay out of it. “But sometimes players have to wait on the bench while other players carry the ball.”

Carrie glared back at her. “You’re in way over your head, there, I said it.”

“If you can’t stand the heat, stay out of the story.” Lois shot back and Carrie noticed Richard deciding to take his leave. Oh, why couldn’t she have done that when she had the chance? “Besides, I am first and foremost a professional and I certainly wouldn’t do anything to compromise my personal safety or the integrity of my work.”

Just then Jimmy rushed up to Lois, carrying a bag. “Lois, here it is. The dry cleaner had a hell of a time with the feathers.”

He opened the bag and pulled out the skimpy chicken costume, making Carrie sneer.

“ _Sure_ you won’t compromise anything.” 

“Don’t you have a conference to go to?” Lois snapped and Carrie let out a laugh, surprisingly even herself as she head toward the elevator. 

A

Carrie glanced around the office room and at the other reporters before looking at the front where Luthor is standing, a model estate behind him. 

“Schools, shops, restaurants, theatres, offices, apartments; a self-contained community. A giant step forward in urban reawakening.   
A new, bright jewel in Metropolis’ crown.” Luthor explained.

“Aren’t you worried about making such a large investment in the Riverview area at this time?” A reporter questioned.

“I never worry, I act.” Luthor replied.

“But what about the fires? Even Superman can’t keep up with them.” The same reporter said.

“Superman has made a valiant effort. Unfortunately, he’d failed. I supposed this proves he’s only human.” Luthor said and everyone but Carrie laughed. “We must strike at the root of this problem. When a tree is sick, you don’t merely trim its branches.”

“Instead you’d chop it down and plant a bigger one?” Carrie questioned.

“If necessary.” Luthor replied and paused for a moment. “Riverview is currently a blight on the face of our fair city. LexHarbor will change all that.”

“How do you respond to the accusations that coercion was used to pressure the city council to approve this project without appropriate study?” Carrie persisted.

“I don’t respond to accusations. I’m more concerned with results. I believe in this city. I believe we can empower ourselves and take back our streets from the kind of crime and gang influence that apparently even Superman can’t solve.” Luthor explained and the other reporters start asking questions again while Luthor slipped out the back.

Carrie realized that if Luthor’s slights against Superman was like this, then she knew she probably made the right choice in pretending that her alter ego was a guy.

She really didn’t want to know the damage that could be caused if she revealed she was a woman.

\--------------

“Why are we doing this?” Carrie questioned as she brushed off the minute dust gathering on her jacket and looked over at Richard, who was wearing a cap, peacoat with a t-shirt on underneath and jeans. Though the thin patch of beard on his chin really got to her.

Not of course she had any right to criticize as she was wearing a rarely worn dress, her hair curled up into a bun, no glasses again, and her jacket was the only offsetting thing on her. At the time she didn’t think whether she wore glasses or not was going to do anything as no one seemed to be able to tell the difference of her being a woman in her ‘Superman’ persona.

And that’s the way she wanted it.

“We’re here to watch out for Lois.” Richard said like it should be obvious.

“Okay then, why am _I_ here?” Carrie asked again.

“Because your friends?” Richard didn’t sound so sure this time. “Acquaintances?” 

“There you go.” Carrie muttered before they went over to the bar of the Metro Club. 

“Gimme a beer.” Richard said gruffly.

“Nothing for me thanks.” Carrie said sitting down on the stool with an air of elegance, even though she was nervous as hell of being in this place. Mainly because it would look like she and Richard were together and just because they had come in together did _not_ meant they _were_ together.

The dark-haired woman looked around the club before moving along the wall trying to stay out of sight while Richard took a look from the stool he was sitting on. Carrie felt a hand grab her arm before she was pulled into a narrow hallway that lead to the dressing room with Lois wearing a cloth over her costume.

“What are you doing here?” she demanded in a furious whisper.

Carrie thought better of mentioning that Richard was here too. “I came to see the show.” She said smirking.

“You’ll ruin everything.” Lois snapped.

“Looks like you’re real close to the story.” Carrie said sarcastically. 

“For your information I spent the entire afternoon with the leader of the Metros in his inner sanctum.” Lois said smugly.

“Wearing this?” Carrie asked dubiously and tried to take a peek at the other woman’s costume, a feature peeking out.

Lois pulled in back in before giving Carrie a critical once over. “And what are you supposed to be, a Miss America reject?”

“Five minutes!” Someone back stage yelled.

Carrie scowled at Lois as the other woman huffed. “Go away!”

“I’m here to back you up.” Carrie said and made an effort to sound like she wanted to be there in the first place.

“I don’t need back up.” Lois said giving her a glare.

“I think you do.” Carrie shot back. “How’d you get so close to this guy, anyway?”

“He’s a man, I’m a woman, you want me to draw you a diagram? After all, it’s not like you haven’t been showed the diagram with Steve.” Lois said harshly.

“We didn’t do anything.” Carrie said rolling her eyes.

“Places! That means you, sweet thing.” The same backstage voice said.

“What have you found out?” Carrie asked getting to the point.

“Johnny and his sister don’t exactly see eye to eye. There’s some kind of power struggle going on. Now fly.” Lois said dismissing her.

Carrie started to grin. “And miss your debut? I think I’ll stick around.”

“Caroline, you stick out like a sore thumb.” Lois said giving her another once over.

Carrie wondered from her strangely affectionate tone if that was supposed to be an insult or not. “Thanks for worrying, but…I think you’re on,” she said smirking as she whispered, “sweet thing.”

The woman laughed to herself as Lois fumed and gave her back a death glare. 

\-------------------------

Carrie reached her seat and found Richard still drinking his beer before deciding to splurge a bit ad enjoy the show. “Whiskey, make a double.” The bartender gave her a look and so did Richard, but she ignored both and drank the shot in one gulp. “Another one.”

“It’s gonna hit you like a ton of bricks, darling.” The bartender said.

“Alcohol never affects me.” Carrie said dismissively.

“Sure, sure.” The bartender said.

Carrie discreetly gave Richard a look and he nodded minutely as she drank down another shot. “Hit me again.”

“Careful sweetheart, I know people like me like to drink their sorrows, but you might be going overboard.” Richard said gruffly.

Carrie pretended to glare at him. “Mind your own business; you’ve been through enough today as it is.”

“Yeah, I got fired, how’s that for ya? Thrown off my ship, just like that.” Richard said and his voice got loud. 

The stage music started up before the chorus girls make their way out in skimpy barnyard outfits. She heard Richard sigh at the sight of Lois in a chicken outfit and she rolled her eyes again. “Gimme another.” Now she really did feel like drinking like she meant it.

“Sure thing, darling.” The bartender said.

“Got any job openings around here? I’ve done some bartending.” Richard offered.

“I don’t think so.” The bartender said disapprovingly.

“Why not?” Richard demanded.

“You’re not the type.” The bartender said.

“What’s that supposed to mean?” Richard questioned loudly before the ‘sister’ that Lois mentioned walked up next to him.

“Is there a problem here?” Toni questioned.

The bartender nodded at Richard. “No problem. I was just asking your man, here about a job.”

“I’m afraid we have no openings present at the time. I’m also afraid I’m going to have to ask you to leave. We have a strict dress code here at the Metro Club and-” Toni was interrupted by a people screaming as the doors burst open.

Four figures all in metallic jumpsuits with matching hoods and masks line up facing Johnny at the table. They each turn the dial on their weapons up to ‘Toast’. “Johnny, you’re a dead man!” One of the four shouted and people start scattering.

The four of them aim and fire, but instead of bullets, pellets of flames shoot out and before she knew what she was doing, Carrie leaped over and tackled Johnny to the floor and the flames singe her clothes, but don’t hurt her. 

Carrie got up and saw that the entire place was starting to go up in flames before seeing the Toasters flee the scene and glanced over to see that most of the people have fled the club, including Richard, but Lois was still there. Carrie rolled her eyes at her before rushing over to the bar where Toni was trapped by the flames.

The woman hurried through them, picked the blonde up and moved her out of the way as Lois rushed over to them. 

“You’re… strong for a woman.” Toni said in a daze.

“I work out.” Carrie muttered offhandedly before pushing her and Lois to the exit. The dark-haired woman glanced around to make sure there was no one left before using her super breath to put out the fires and she saw that the word ‘Toasters’ has been burned into the wall.

Lois rushed back in. “Caroline, are you okay?” she asked and Carrie nodded. “Who were those guys?”

Carrie comments as Lois looked at the words burned into the wall. “I think we’ve just been introduced to the Toasters.”

\------------------------------

Carrie ate her lunch of cold chicken with Steve as they had no reason not to be civil to one another when he wasn’t trying to hit on her and she wasn’t busy thinking he was just being a player. She looked up to see Lois rush in with a trench coat on but her heels and fishnet stocking are still visible.

“You haven’t sent out Toaster article down to the cop yet, have you?” she asked breathlessly.

“Just putting the finishing touches on it now.” Carrie said offering a chicken. “Drumstick?”

Lois glanced over at Steve before giving Carrie a warning glance. “I swear, if you breath one word…” 

Carrie grinned mockingly at her. “You were saying something about the article?”

“Yeah. Stop the presses. The Metros just had a big meeting. Johnny’s out and his sister Toni has taken over.” Lois replied she said taking the coat off and fired up her computer. “If we hurry we can make it into the afternoon edition.” 

Carrie noticed that people were staring at the other woman and when she noticed Steve was too, she felt a pang of something. It was the only reason really that she bothered trying to get the other woman’s attention. “Uh, Lois?”

“Caroline, I’m on a deadline here.” Lois snapped.

Jimmy walked by, but stopped to glance at Lois. “Professional but naughty, I like it.” He said before moving on and Lois looked down at herself before putting the coat back on.

“So I guess if Johnny’s out, so is you plan.” Carrie said.

“Don’t be ridiculous, I’m perfectly placed.” Lois said.

“I may be too.” Carrie added.

“What are you talking about?” Lois questioned.

“Toni asked me to meet her at the club this afternoon.” Carrie answered.

“For what?” Lois questioned in disbelief.

Without thinking, Carrie shot back Lois’s retort the previous night. “I’m a woman, she’s a woman, do you want me to draw you a diagram?” she blushed when she realized _what_ had just came out of her mouth.

Steve raised his brows in interest. “Can you draw me one?”

Carrie’s face went redder in embarrassment. “Forget I said that.”

Lois glared at her as Perry walked over. “Lois, how’s the undercover work going?”

“Fine, chief, just fine.” Lois replied.

“Good. Didn’t think you’d chicken out on me.” Perry said as he and Carrie had a laugh while Lois glared at them both.

Carrie noticed Richard walking by before excusing herself and dragged the man over to the side. “Listen, I’m meeting Toni, maybe I could get you to be a bartender after all, since I know how much you like Lois.”

Richard smiled softly and Carrie blinked at how much he really _could_ have resembled her ‘male’ persona. “That’s okay, I know you won’t let anything happen to her.” He paused before smiling sheepishly. “Or you just won’t let her get hurt.”

“There you go.” Carrie deadpanned.

\------------------------

Carrie looked around the club that certainly looked better than the previous night and while she wasn’t in her classy dress this time or her hair all done up, it still shined and she opted to wear some of her other ‘girly’ looking clothes. A sweater dress and dark tights to be precise.

She used her super hearing as she hears Toni talking in the other room. “Since when is Metro business front page news?”

“Since the Toasters declared war on _us_.” Someone else said.

“I don’t mean that, I mean information that could only have come from our meeting that I’m the new head of the Metros. Could Johnny have leaked the story?” Toni questioned.

“Uh-uh, we put him on a plane, just like you said.” The same male said.

“Then it’s someone else. Find him. Fast. We can’t afford this kind of exposure.” Toni said and Carrie heard the bartender’s voice.

“It’s the woman from last night, you said you wanted to meet her?” he asked.

Toni glanced over at Carrie. “Send her over.” She dismisses the other man in the room and looked Carrie over approvingly. “I hope you’re up for a job offer.”

Carrie beamed. “Really? For me?”

“Yes, Miss…”

Carrie thought fast. “King, Claire King.”

“Claire, you saved my life last night.” Toni replied.

“It was worth saving.” Carrie said trying to sound sincere.

“Are you always that good in a crisis?” Toni questioned.

“Try me.” Carrie said automatically.

“I may do just that.” Toni said. “But for now we’ll start with bartending.”

“You’re the boss.” Carrie said shrugging. 

“Good. I need that kind of loyalty around here. It seems to be in short supply. Keep your eyes and ears open and we’ll see about moving you up.” Toni said while the man from before came walking back in.

“Don’t mean to bother you but we got a small problem. Delilah just quit. Says she’d too scared of the Toasters to come back here.” He said.

Toni glanced over at Carrie. “See what I mean? No loyalty.” She said and looked back over at the man. “Does she have a contract?”

“Yeah, of course.” The man replied.

“Good. Sue the sequins off her and get another singer.” Toni ordered.

“Done.” The man replied and walked back out of the room.

“When do I start?” Carrie asked.

“As soon as you get yourself some other clothes.” Toni replied and Carrie reframed from making a face as the blonde peeled off five hundred dollars and handed them to her. “Welcome to the good life.”

\-------------------------

Carrie cleaned the class out from behind the bar, feeling guilty still that it should be Richard back here even if he did say he didn’t mind. She actually _liked_ Richard and that’s why she was feeling so guilty.

“Soda please.” 

Carried smirked as she turned around, her hair pulled up into a bun with a few locks spilling out deliberately; dressed in a black skirt, black tights, and a dark blouse. “Coming right up.”

Lois’ eyes widened and she lifted the bar rail before moving in beside her. “What are you doing here?”

“My job.” Carrie said snarkily. “You’re looking at the Metro Club’s newest bartender. Like my outfit? It’s designer.”

“What did you do, raid a fashion show? I’ve been looking for you all day!” Lois snapped and Carrie rolled her eyes.

“Claire!”

“Claire?” Lois questioned as Toni walked up to the bar.

“I hardly recognized you.” Toni said.

“Join the club.” Lois said under her breath.

“Just getting to know the help.” Carrie replied.

Toni gave Lois a critical look. “Not too well, I hope.”

Carrie made a face at the thought of being mistaken with being with _Lois_ to care.

“Caroline, Lex Luthor is a friend of mine. He would never do anything to hurt me and he’s way too smart to let anything slip.” Lois said assuredly.

“I don’t trust him.” Carrie said and very well couldn’t tell her that Luthor was evil incarnated without being suspicious. “What’s he doing here?”

“I’ll ask him next time I see him.” Lois replied.

Carrie noticed the bullet holes in the wall and looked through one of them. “So this is how you spied on the meetings.”

“If you’re a good girl maybe I’ll teach you some more of my tricks, but right now I’ve got to get ready for my next number.” Lois said and before she could open the door, the door flew open and revealed Toni standing there.

“Interesting place for a bartender; run out of olives?” The blonde questioned coolly.

Carrie thought fast before grabbing Lois by the arm. “Here she is. Your leak; Lois Lane, reporter for the Daily Planet.” She ignored the furious glare Lois gave her and hoped he didn’t say anything.

“Guess I’ll have to find another singer.” Toni deadpanned before glancing at Carrie. “Good work.”

Carrie nodded. “What do you want me to do with her?”

\---------------------------

Carrie kicked open the back door to the stage as she carried a struggling Lois over her shoulder. Because of her ‘I work out’ excuse, no one asked why she was able to lift Lois so easily. 

“You’ll pay for this, Kent, I swear you’ll-”

“Promises, promises.” Carrie deadpanned as her voice became a whisper. “And it’s King, remember?” she asked spotting a row of dumpsters and glanced back at where Lou was watching by the door.

“Why are you doing this?” Lois whispered.

“So she’ll stop looking for a leak; at least my cover is still safe.” Carrie explained.

“Well, Merry Christmas to you and Happy freaking New Year.” Lois grumbled.

“Believe me, this is all for your own good.” And Carrie even managed to sound like this was true, but she’d been wanting to do something like this for a while now.

“No…” Lois said as Carrie started walking towards the dumpster and Carrie unceremoniously tossed her in. “No!”

“And stay out!” Carrie shouted loudly and wiped her hands before walking over to the door as a rotten piece of lettuce hit the wall beside her head.

“I guess we won’t be hearing from her no more.” Lou said smiling.

“Speak for yourself.” Carrie said sighing as she just knew that this was going to come back to her.

\-----------------------

Carrie pulled her hair loose as she lit the gas flame for her tea and set the pot on the stove. She had changed out of her ‘work clothes’ and into a pair of sweatpants and loose t-shirt. She heard banging on the door before Lois barged in, still covered in garbage. “I don’t believe I invited you in.”

Lois ignored her. “You rotten, back stabbing piece of slime. You know, some people might be fooled by that innocent, girlish exterior, but not me, not anymore.”

Huh, ‘people’ were actually fooled by it? How odd. “Tea, Lois? It’s a calming herbal blend.” She said pointedly as a not so-subtle hint for the woman to calm down.

“I don’t suppose you care but you’ve completely blown the story.” Lois hissed.

Carrie huffed. “By the way, I don’t think I told you but I liked your song.”

“What?!” Lois screeched.

“Your voice wasn’t as aggravating to hear as it usually is.” Carrie snapped.

“Caroline, I don’t know what you think you’re doing…” Lois said.

“You know, sometimes on a team, the person carrying the ball gets hemmed in and she has to hand it off to another player in a better position to score, you see what I’m getting at here?” Carrie questioned, but before the other woman could reply, there was a knock at the door and she used her X-ray vision to see that it was Toni to her surprise and carrying a grocery bag at that.

“Who’s that?” Lois questioned.

“I guess my...” Carrie didn’t know what to say.

“Oh, I get it; you don’t need to draw me a diagram.” Lois said sullenly.

“Lois…It’s not like that.” Carrie replied, but Lois was on a rant now.

“I cuddle up to three day old fish heads while you play footsie with the mafia princess.” She said.

Carrie made a face. “Don’t tell me you’re actually jealous. Trust me, she’s not my type.” She added.

“Then just what _is_ your type?” Lois snapped sarcastically. 

“Lois, she can’t see you here, you’ve got to hide.” Carrie replied.

“But-”

Carrie pushed Lois behind a wall that made up the circular staircase. “I’ll find some way to distract her and then you can sneak out.” 

Lois still glared at her, but moved behind the wall as Carrie walked up the stairs and opened the door.

“Once again I’m in your debt. I thought I’d pay you back with a home cooked meal. How does lasagna sound?” Toni questioned.

“Delicious.” Carrie replied and the two walked over to the kitchen and away from Lois. 

“Nice place.” Toni said looking around.

“It belongs to a friend of mine. She lets me use it whenever I’m in Metropolis.” Carrie said. “You know, you don’t really have to do this.”

“I know, I want to.” Toni replied.

“Well, okay then.” Carrie said nervously and pointed out the window. “Uh, come over here and see the view, it really is great.” She said before using one hand to signal for Lois to get out as she led Toni over to the terrace.

“No, wait, we can see that later.” The blonde said and Carrie’s face blank as she took a quick glance behind her and tried not to sigh in relief when she saw the door closed shut.

“Uh, right, right.” The woman said absently and was just glad that Lois had left. 

Though she was thinking about locking that door from now on.

\---------------------------------

“That was delicious.” Carrie said in pleasant surprise as she walked over to Toni, who was now looking over the terrace’s view before looking out at the view as well. “No Toaster fires tonight.”

“They wouldn’t dare.” Toni said.

“Have you found something out?” Carrie questioned but the woman remained silent. “If I don’t know what’s going on how can I help?”

“Why should I trust you, I hardly know you.” Toni retorted.

“In your position I’d probably feel exactly the same way.” Carrie said in understanding. 

“My position,” Toni repeated ruefully, “sometimes I think I could cheerfully trade it all for a quiet life far away from Metropolis.   
Growing up I used to sit at my father’s knee and listen to him talk. I learned so much but I never thought I’d have to apply it. If my brother’s hadn’t turned out to be such idiots…”

“I though you enjoyed running things?” Carrie asked in confusion.

“Someone had to.” Toni replied. “Let me tell you, Claire. I don’t want to run a crime syndicate. I want to run a conglomerate. In five years, if I have my way, all Metro business is going to be legitimate. A legitimate corporation with him as CEO. I want to take what my father started and make him proud, put our name up there with the captains of commerce, the Lansings, The Schwabs, The Luthors. No more dirty money, no more shady deals.”

“Sounds like a good plan.” Carrie observed.

“If I can just past this thing with the Toasters.” Toni said to herself.

“You will.” Carrie said reassuringly before pausing a beat. “We will.”

“Maybe. But not tonight.” Toni said. “I have a prior engagement. Disappointed?”

Carrie thought very carefully before answering. “Nope,” she decided, “it’ll just give me something to look forward to.”

“You’re full of surprises, Claire.” Toni said as she turned to leave and Carrie heard the door close as the woman left.

“If you only knew.” Carrie said chuckling to herself.

\-------------------------------------

Carrie groaned in annoyance as she heard rapid knocking at her door and got out of bed, wearing her clothes from last night and walked over to the door, her irritation rising as she was pushed aside by Lois. “Lois, what’s up?” she asked sarcastically.

“Tough night, Caroline?” Lois huffed. “Where’s the phone?”

Carrie pointed and noticed the dust and ash on Lois’ clothes. “You know, I thought I was hard on clothing.”

“Give me whoever’s in charge of your Arson investigations unit.” Lois said ignoring what Carrie said. “No, I won’t hold, I said…” she grumbled under her breath as Carrie assumed she was put on hold.

“What’s happened? Where were you?” Carrie questioned.

“Sleeping with a rat, how about you?” Lois snapped.

Carrie felt the urge to let out a frustrated sigh. “Lois, Toni left around ten.”

“I know.” Lois replied and Carrie narrowed her eyes. “Yes, I’m holding, no, don’t…”

“How do you know?” Carrie asked suspiciously.

“Because I followed her.” Lois replied bluntly. “Prepare yourself for a shock, Caroline. Toni is behind the Toaster. Was behind the Toasters actually. Now they’ve got her captive.”

“What?” Carrie asked incredulously about this whole thing.

“The Toasters are out of control and planning to burn Riverview to the ground, starting from the wharf and moving inward. Unless, that is…” Lois’ voice rose. “…someone picks up the rotten line!”

Carrie heard the noise of sirens outside and rushed over to the window and used her enhanced eyesight to see the flames rising over the city. “Lois, put the phone down.” She said and Lois glared at her. “You won’t get through.” She said pointing out the window and Lois saw the flames before hanging up.

“I’m going to the police station. They need to know what they’re up against. I’ll meet you back at the Planet.” Lois said before taking one last look out the window. “Superman, I hope you’re out there.” She said and exited the apartment.

Carrie sighed as she looked at the flames herself before going into her room, changed into her costume and made her way out onto the balcony, taking a quick look around to make sure no one was watching before she took to the sky. 

She soon saw four figures in silver jumpsuits and heard the first one start talking. 

“Gentlemen, I’d like to propose a toast.” He said before they seemed to be adjusting their weapons. “Let’s cook.”

Carrie landed on the ground, crossing her arms. “You know what they say about people who play with fire?” 

She watched them turn around and aim their weapons at them. “Yeah, they get burned.” The first one said.

Carrie wasn’t exactly worried about getting hurt, but she was about the fact her wig could get damaged. Luckily though, the flames didn’t go anywhere near her head before she blew the fire out. “It’s about time someone cooled you guys off.” She said before using her super breath to encase their weapons and _them_ in ice, leaving just their heads unfrozen. 

“Hey! You can’t leave us like this! It’s cold.” The first Toaster said. 

“The police are on their way, I’m sure they’ll have a nice toasty cell waiting for you.” Carrie replied before taking to the sky and looked worriedly over the flames still lit before off in the distance she spotted a storm. 

The ‘man’ flew to the other side of the storm and used her super breath to blow the clouds toward Metropolis, because if she couldn’t get to all the fires, this certainly would. Right now she had to get Toni. She flew down to the building Lois said she was in and contemplated going in as Superman before deciding against it. 

It’d look suspicious if she did that. 

So quickly flying home she changed into her regular clothes before running at super speed back to the building and called the cops. She felt a pang of guilt for doing this, but it still had to be done. Carrie saw the blonde woman struggling against the ropes keeping her in place and she moved forward to release her.

“How did you find me?” Toni questioned.

“I had a tip.” Carrie replied.

“We’ve got to get out of here before the Toasters come back.” Toni said.

“Superman took care of them.” Carrie said softly.

“Looks like you came through for me.” Toni said.

Carrie paused, and though her words were still softly spoken, the disappointment in her voice was evident. “Looks like you let me down.”

Toni stared at the woman for a moment before lowering her eyes. “I had to create a situation that would allow me to take over the Metros. There was no other way.”

“There’s always another way.” Carrie insisted.

“Claire, please-”

“My name’s not Claire.” Carrie interrupted. “It’s Caroline Kent. I work at the Daily Planet.”

“I guess both of us were hiding the truth.” Toni said as reality sunk in. “What happens now?” 

The sirens were heard outside the building as the police pulled up. “I think you know.” Carrie answered.

“Can I talk you out of it?” Toni tried, but Carrie just stared at her grimly. “I guess not.” She added and paused for a moment. “I’ll miss you, Claire.”

Carrie noticed the name tacked on and knew the blonde was talking about her undercover persona. “I’ll miss you too, Toni.”

\------------------------

“So, how are you doing?” 

Carrie glanced up at Richard, noting his genuinely concerned expression before answering as he walked beside her into the newsroom. “I was just saying goodbye.”

“Ah.” Richard said in understanding before patting her on the shoulder. “I see.”

“Where have you been?” Lois called out and Carrie noted she was looking at her. “I’m on page six.”

“Save some room for the wrap-up on Toni Taylor.” Carrie called back. “I’ve just been saying goodbye.”

“A touching farewell I suppose?” Lois questioned sardonically.

“She wasn’t all bad.” Carrie retorted.

“No one’s all bad, Caroline. Or all good. Except for Superman.” Lois replied.

“Naturally.” Carrie deadpanned.

“Superman, for example, wouldn’t have tried to cut me out of a story by ratting me out to the opposing team. Good thing I managed to get back in the game on my own and score the winning touchdown.” Lois explained.

“Sometimes the quarterback has to fake a throw to his primary receiver in order to free up his secondary target.” Carrie shot back and felt a hand clamp down on her shoulder, but from the grip she knew it wasn’t Richard. 

“That’s my girl, spoken like a true sports fan.” Steve said proudly, Carrie noticing that Richard looked mildly annoyed. The blond probably pushed him out of the way.

“Not your girl.” Carrie retorted before shrugging his hand off and raised a brow at Lois. “Okay, so fess up. You really weren’t the slightest bit jealous of me and Toni Taylor?”

Lois snorted. “You’d like to think that, wouldn’t you?”

“Actually, no.” Carrie replied, but Lois kept on talking like she hadn’t heard her.

“Me, home alone, in a schumpy bathrobe, crying into a tub of Rocky Road.” 

The three other reporters stared at her. 

“Were you then?” Steve prompted.

Lois glowered at him. “In your dreams.” She huffed. “In your dreams.”


End file.
